Curriculum Development
The core of our work is that it empowers young people to take increasing responsibility. That applies to their activities with Bread Youth Project, their learning, themselves and each other. It also enables them to develop the information and social skills they need to successfully take decisions in their lives and contribute to their community.
All of Bread's work with young people uses the Curriculum Development Model* (CDM). This provides the basis of demonstrating young people's progressive empowerment (in terms of levels of responsibility), learning outcomes (in terms of social skills development), and accreditation through the Youth Achievement Awards.
Initially young people are helped to develop priority social skills needed to work in groups (CDM stages 1-3: self-esteem, managing feelings, empathy, development of values). Following on from that they are supported to develop other social skills through teamwork (CDM stage 4) and taking responsibility (CDM stages 5-7: communication skills, assertiveness training, interpersonal skills, problem solving and decision making, negotiation skills, planning skills, reviewing skills).
For Bread this all contributes to our ability to monitor the quality of our youth work and demonstrate our accountability as youth work providers.
* thanks to John Huskins