Social competency is the ability to get along well with others and cooperate.

The Key Elements: The most fundamental discovery in this new science is we are wired to connect.

• Verbal Fluency and Conversational Skills
• Knowledge of Social Roles, Rules, and Scripts
• Effective Listening Skills
• Understanding What Makes Other People Tick
• Social Self-Efficacy– Social Self-Confidence

Source: Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.

• Be self-aware: understand their emotions; are confident; trust their intuition.They are willing to take an honest look at themselves; know their strengths and weaknesses.
• Self-regulate: to control emotions and impulses. They think before they act. Characteristics of self-regulation are thoughtfulness, comfort with change, integrity, and the ability to say no.
• Self-motivate: willing to defer immediate results for long-term success; are highly productive, love a challenge, and are very effective in whatever they do.
• Empathize: the ability to identify with and understand the wants, needs, and viewpoints of those around you; good at recognizing the feelings of others.
• Use social skills: they are team players. Rather than focus on their own success first, they help others develop and shine. They can manage disputes, are excellent communicators, and are masters at building and maintaining relationships.

Source: Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.

The responsibility for change is left with the youth.  The goal is to increase intrinsic motivation, so that change comes from them and serves them in achieving goals based on values.  A key component of the spirit of Motivational Interviewing is its collaborative nature.  The facilitator does not answer questions, but rather turns the question or challenge back to the student for critical thinking, “possibility” strategies and solution-making.

Youth first imagine a desired future (dream) and reflect on the obstacles that stand in the way of reaching this goal.  By recognizing the challenges in accomplishing a goal, youth develop strategies for working through the barriers.

Self-determination Theory (SDT) was developed by researchers Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan. This theory is concerned with human motivation, personality and optimal functioning. Rather than just the amount of motivation, self-determination theory focuses on different types of motivation.