Dania Meza Valezquez

Project Portfolio Description

Looking Glass provides a variety of services for at-risk children, youth, and families. Some of these services include counselling, educational opportunities, emergency shelter, and counselling crisis for youth who are experiencing homelessness, in addition to outpatient treatment services for teens. Looking Glass connects people to resources that targets all of their unique and specific needs and prepares them with the skills to navigate challenges outside of the program. Stepping Stone is Looking Glass’ outpatient substance abuse treatment program for male youth between the ages of 12 to 18 years-old. While their participation in the program, individuals are required to attend school for five hours during the weekdays.

To facilitate and increase the youth’s social-emotional learning in the classroom, teachers were provided with a trauma-sensitive language guide which supported shifting negative redirection to positive redirection; the guide includes different scenarios that are particular to the classroom environment which assisted in maintaining relevance to the site.  To ensure future use and sustainability, it was essential to conduct research during the creation of this guide that is developmentally appropriate while also meeting the gap in service. By making sure that it is ethically implemented, it reduces the likelihood of discontinuing the use of the guide in the future. After successfully completing this project, Looking Glass Special Education Coordinator and Case Manager introduced the guide to the education team at the end of the month staff meeting.