A Complete and Interactive Social & Emotional Skills Program
Adelaide Hills ~ Fleurieu Peninsula ~ Murray Mallee
What's The Buzz?
What's The Buzz? is an evidence-based social-emotional literacy program written by Mark Le Messurier and Madhavi Nawana Parker and used in many schools and youth organisations to develop social skills, confidence and resilience in young people.
We are excited to be offering What's The Buzz? in the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Murray Mallee regions!
What’s the Buzz? is a unique sixteen lesson social skills enrichment program which uses lively stories, role plays and play based programs to teach children how to think and relate to others in social situations. It features everyday themes such as how to greet, make and keep friends, fit in, read one’s own emotions, read the feeling of others, deal with competition and cope with worry, frustration and disappointment more constructively.
The program is based on an extensive body of research referred to by the acronym S.A.F.E., the principles stimulate social thinking and accomplish powerful outcomes by:
Sequenced - shows a logical step-by-step break down of each new skill
Active - uses role-plays and rehearsal (kinaesthetic) with feedback
Focused - dedicates time solely towards teaching a specific skill
Explicit - teaches a specific social/emotional skill each session
The 20 week program is available at the Mount Barker Community Centre on Monday evenings for all 3 aged groups as soon as the social restrictions have lifted and includes:
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16 x What's The Buzz? student sessions
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2 x Unique nature-based student sessions for the children to practice their social skills in a different environment. They will connect with horses and participate in nature-based activities while developing their team work skills. These sessions focus on connection, mindfulness and wellbeing.
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2 x Parents/Carers sessions
To register your interest in your child or teenager participating in "What's The Buzz?" programs please use the contact form
at the bottom of this page and we'll be in touch! Please "like" and follow our Facebook page for the latest updates and event listings.
Why Teach Social Emotional Literacy (SEL)?
"Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which people acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to:
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Understand and manage emotions.
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Listen to others.
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Set and achieve personal goals.
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Feel and show empathy for others.
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Establish and maintain positive relationships.
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Make empowered and responsible decisions.
It is the foundation for building cohesive workplaces, tolerant communities, connected classrooms, connected families and happy, well-adjusted human beings.
"SEL is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success.
People with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. From effective problem-solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management and more, SEL provides a foundation for positive, long-term effects on kids, adults, and communities."
- Committee For Children
Who is SEL for?
SEL is for every student at every age. It is beneficial for young people who:
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Need help understanding their emotions
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Struggle to go with the flow
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Find it difficult to make friends or relate to others
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Find it difficult to fit in socially
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Experience anxiety, worry or shyness
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Need help developing emotional regulation
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Children with higher-functioning forms of autism spectrum
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Children identified with language disorder, specific learning
difficulties, ADHD, social phobia etc.
PROGRAM OPTIONS
EARLY LEARNERS
Ages 5-8 Years
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PRIMARY STUDENTS
Ages 9-11 Years
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TEENAGERS
Ages 12-16 Years
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Meet The Team
Jess Keenan
Jess has been running life skills and self-leadership programs for 3.5 years at 'Leading Change Experiences'. She has facilitated young people, older teens and adults in the field of interpersonal and relationship skill development.
Jess's love for human development stemmed from a young age when she was reading about mindset and self-empowerment while studying the art of influential leadership with horses under a mentor in her teenage years. Learning how to be a confident and resilient leader of our own lives is one of Jess's highest values when it comes to navigating her own life's journey and supporting others on theirs.
One of Jess and Lauren's trainers, Mark Le Messurier, aptly named his new book "Teaching values of being human". Jess identified early on that human values including learning how to develop social and emotional skills is deficient in our education system and is often not discussed in the home. While research concludes that we can expect a 10% gain in academic achievement when working within an SEL framework, Jess is motivated by the fact that SEL benefits young peoples' lives by helping them develop 5 key areas of essential personal and social competencies including: self awareness; self-management; social awareness; relationship & empathetic skills; and effective decision making skills.
The beautiful thing about SEL is that it teaches skills that can be learned and applied to all areas of life and are transferable between the home, school, employment and teams of people or social groups.
Supporting young people develop emotional and social resilience, emotional intelligence and a healthy relationship with themselves and others important to Jess. She is passionate about helping our young people learn how to empower themselves as they navigate life's challenges with confidence, certainty, clarity, compassion, self awareness and an awareness of others and their environment.
Jess is excited to be partnering with Lauren to facilitate "What's The Buzz?" programs in the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Murray Bridge areas. She sees the repeat benefits of children visiting her nature-based 30 acre farm near Strathalbyn, so to combine the SEL learning with the therapeutic effects of nature, horses and the wide open spaces is even more powerful and aids in the emotional regulation of participants.
Lauren Tydeman
Lauren's love for self development was ignited while working at a chiropractic clinic where she received training on self development, LOA and positive mindsets.
For the last 5 years she has been home full-time raising her 4 children. With a strong focus on learning more about parenting and raising happy and confident children, she maintains that her children have been her greatest teachers. Lauren has had to adapt her approaches to a child with special needs. While raising four very spirited and unique individuals, she has done a lot of work to understand their brain development and how to help them to become the best versions of their authentic selves.
Having a child with special needs has really helped Lauren understand the different ways of supporting young people, from all different approaches to find what works best for them.
Lauren heard about Leading Change Experience's EAL program and knowing how working with animals plays a massive role in her teenage daughter's regulation and development, she was very excited to enrol her into her first program. The changes Lauren's daughter experienced over such a small amount of time was phenomenal and quickly seen by all family members, teachers, therapists and beyond. Working with Jess as a mentor, it furthered Lauren's daughter's development in all areas of her life, but mostly her confidence and social and emotional interactions.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and the developing of life skills incorporates so many of Lauren's passions and truly speaks to her core - helping kids of all abilities to find their true selves, working to their strengths, building a confident mind and life and giving them some time to just be in nature to calm their souls. Lauren is excited to work alongside Jess for the What's The Buzz? programs and she looks forward to working with you and your amazing kids.
