Skill Building Program

 

The Skill Building Program is a partnership between local school districts and Direction Service in an effort to increase student social, emotional, and behavioral support year-round. Direction Service Skill Builders are Qualified Mental Health Associates, working on-site in local elementary and K-8 schools, to assist youth who experience escalated emotions. With individual and group skill building, we help youth learn skills and tools they need to better regulate their emotions. This team also provides crisis de-escalation and recovery support to students with significant challenges. Our team is connected to Direction Service's larger network providing school-based support and advocacy, connection to resources, and wraparound services that families can access if needed. We hope to connect families to support services outside of schools, helping to change the trajectory of children’s lives.

  • Support Social-Emotional Learning

  • Utilize the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model when working with students

  • Believe all children do well if they can

  • Provide de-escalation and crisis response with trauma-informed practices

  • Follow the mental health model embedded in our schools

 

Skill Builders Offer

Our Direction Service Skill Builders are Qualified Mental Health Associates who provide on-site support for youth who experience escalated emotions. This team offers…

  • An adult who can help students work through hard moments

  • Small group instruction in social skills

  • Individual instruction and coaching of self-regulation skills

  • Connection between the family and school

  • Education for staff members in how to better support students

  • Connection between family and a larger network of community resources

Virtual/in-person Skill Building 

Skill Builders are available to provide virtual or in-person support to families. A team of two Skill Builders works in partnership with each family to create a plan to support youth.  

Consultation 

Our team provides consultation to families interested in short-term support. We offer resources, ideas, and guidance for supporting youth and families toward success. Consultation consists of two or three meetings. This may be beneficial to families who need help identifying resources and skills that can help their students to be successful.

Professional Development

Skill Builders are available to provide individualized training for guardians, school staff, and employees. Direction Service believes that humans do well if they can. We offer training regarding non-violent communication, collaborative and proactive solutions, trauma-informed practices, regulation strategies, and interventions. This team collaborates with educators and families to expand community resilience.

 

What is Skill Building?

When skill builders work with a child, it might look like play, and that’s because it is! Kids learn best through play, in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe to be brave and try new skills. Mr. Rogers said, “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” While playing together we are: establishing a relationship of trust, assessing your child’s strengths and areas of growth, modeling appropriate social interactions, individualizing lessons based on your child’s interests, noticing your child’s learning style, and learning how and when to ever so gently nudge them out of their comfort zone to try new and challenging things.

We teach social and emotional skills to kids using different tools and let the child take the lead. We bring with us books, games, art supplies, puppets, cooking projects, and sensory making activities. We can use curriculum in traditional ways to start conversations so that kids can discover social emotional skills with us. We also involve parents to strengthen the relationship between parent and child. Parents are their child’s first teacher. We also know that parenting is an important and challenging job. We offer parents parenting education ideas, self-care ideas, stress management practices, and access to community resources.

All of us have skills and abilities, strengths and areas of improvement. Skill builders like to say “We’re all working on something!” Even adults can have goals to work on areas of growth so that we can become stronger, wiser, and kinder adults for the kids in our lives and for ourselves.

Meet Our Team

Karen Reynolds, BA, QMHA

I have worked with children for over 30 years in a variety of settings and have a background in early childhood education, a BA in psychology with a focus on trauma, domestic violence and addiction. My passion is humans helping humans! I am the parent of 4 adult children and I have been blessed with three grandchildren. I believe that humans will do well if they have the skills to do so. My goal is to help children and youth learn the skills they need in order to be successful. I would love to work with you and your children to support your family's vision for a better future.  She is currently training to teach Collaborative and Proactive Solutions as an accredited Lives in the Balance Trainer.

 

Heidi Kinkade, QMHA

I have been working with children and youth for 9 years in a variety of different settings. I enjoy working with and learning from children. I feel they have just as much to teach us adults as we have to teach them, especially when it comes to enjoying life. One of the things I enjoy most about my position as a Skill Builder and working within the schools is being surrounded by happy faces throughout the day. For the children and youth that may struggle, I enjoy working with them to help them learn skills to accomplish their goals and dreams for themselves.

 

Resources for Guardians

Activities for Youth

AGES 5-7

AGES 8-10

AGES 11-13

ALL AGES

 
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The Direction Service Youth and Family Services program receives generous funding from United Way of Lane County and other partners.