What it is? Not only must a young person have intellectual and social competencies to achieve success in adulthood, but he or she must also have the wherewithal to maintain his or her physical and emotional health at its highest level. This includes having the social and intellectual competencies to identify environments and situations that would potentially compromise one's physical health; however, the core of this area of development is the ability to identify and access those situations that enhance one's physical and mental health.

What it looks like? Activities such as: workshops on benefits and consequences of various health, hygiene, and human development issues, including physical, sexual, and emotional development; role playing activities that hypothesize adverse situations and how to resolve them; personal and peer counseling; training in conflict management and resolution concerning family, peer, and workplace relationships; community mapping to create a directory of resources related to physical and mental health, such as health and counseling centers, personal physicians, insurance companies, parks with accessible paths, grocery stores, banks, drug stores, etc.; meal planning and preparation activities, including planning the meal, shopping for groceries, and cooking the meal; social activities that offer opportunities to practice skills in communication, negotiation, and personal presentation; sports and recreational activities; training in life skills such as how to manage money, find transportation, shop on a budget, buy a car, obtain insurance, etc.

Click on the arrow link below to move on to the next area - Working .