Topic: Resilience in young people: How can participation in enjoyable, structured activities help? – Kristina Usaite
Resources: You can download Kristina’s slides.
Session Summary: A growing body of UK and international policy, research and practice is concerned with understanding how young people can develop resilience to respond to adversities. Whilst much research has focused on internal or environmental supports for resilience, this research study considered occupational factors. The word ‘occupational’ here refers to the broad range of human doing: leisure, work, learning and looking after yourself and others.
The research specifically investigated how retired professionals from a range of disciplines have used participation in structured activities (often leisure/learning) to help young people respond to the challenges they face. This session will look at the methods and findings of Kristina’s study and the audience will have an opportunity to share reflections on their own practices.
Biography: Kristina Usaite works as an Occupational Therapist at the Weald Acute Day Treatment Service for the West Sussex Partnership Trust. This involves facilitating a range of therapeutic activity groups and some 1:1 interventions to support adults with mental health difficulties to work towards their goals. She has recently completed an MSc ‘Health Through Occupation’ at the University of Brighton and carried out a qualitative research study on how engagement in structured enjoyable activities can promote resilience in young people. Previously, Kristina worked in neuro-rehabilitation, learning disabilities and volunteered overseas. Her first degree is in International Relations and Development Studies, University of Sussex.
Who might be most interested: Academics, practitioners, researchers, students, parents, carers, community workers, volunteers, public sector workers, young people and service users.
This session took place on Wednesday 18 February 2015.
The Resilience Forum is for ANYBODY (with a pulse!) involved with or interested in resilience research!
