@Work with Youth & Teens

Why are trainings important?

For the last 18 years I have moved around the world in various countries with three growing children. Besides this being an awesome experience I realized how children in transition adapt so differently from adults. In order for children and teens to ‘re-root’ in a balanced way in their new environment, it is important to have an understanding of where they come from.

In other words what their own cultural set of norms and values is. By creating this awareness they will be able to address new and different behaviors like:

• Why are the math annotations at schools different in Brazil?
• Why do American children change their clothes in a separate room?
• Why do the Italians kiss once when greeting you while the Dutch kiss three times?
• Why do Japanese kids always agree with you?
• And how come Saint Nicolas is celebrated on December 5th in the Netherlands unlike Santa Claus who only just arrives late that month?
• What freedom and restrictions are there for teens – smoking, driving, drinking -when living abroad and how does this impact them.

By addressing cultural awareness in trainings for youth and teens they will become increasingly curious about all these new behaviors instead of getting confused about them.

For a deeper understanding about cultural sets of norms & values and third culture kids – TCK- please continue reading the full article.

What do we address in our trainings?

In our 1 or 2 day programs we cover a range of themes, like for example: where do you come from? Where do you go? How are these places similar and how are they different? What will be great and fun ways to explore your new destination?

In addition we provide an optional International Parenting session and/ or a Family Support session.

How will we deliver the training?

All the trainings we offer are tailor-made. In the youth trainings, we use all kinds of different methods adapting to the different learning styles and age group of your child(ren) like drawing, using gauche, You Tube, playing  board games, mapping, watching documentaries, active games and acting.

The additional International Parenting / Family Support sessions are also shaped according to your needs.  We use an in-depth questionnaire and at times interview by phone precedes every training.