DETROIT, Mich. — Amy Mullins, CEO and Founder of A Courageous Voice (ACV), has developed a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) group class to be added to the services offered through the Kids Voices Matter Program. SEL classes are now available to be offered to youth in organizations like schools and after school programming, offering benefits to help increase academic performance, improve mental health, increase equity, and promote resilience.

SEL can be a great help in prevention education, as it provides children with essential tools to keep themselves safe such as: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills as explained in an article from CNN on the importance of SEL. These skills are also especially important as children recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 "There's so much that our youth today have to face," Mullins said. "So I think it's really important."

ACV recently worked with the Girl Scouts  to provide tools for their emotional toolboxes, such as learning how to set intentions, build resilience, and  recognize empowering actions to create healthy relationships. These aspects of SEL are crucial for children to learn, as they can be instrumental in their wellbeing and emotional development. 

These classes teach self-awareness, social awareness, conflict resolution, and resilience. Resilience is a large focus of the SEL class, as trauma affects us all from abuse to losing the life of loved ones, especially from the pandemic. Mullins' goal is to eventually add SEL as a part of ACV's Stronger Together program to benefit adults  as well.

To integrate SEL classes in your  youth organization, contact Xander Piasecki at xander@acourageousvoice.org, or email A Courageous Voice at info@acourageousvoice.org.  

If your child is experiencing an emergency, our resources page has a variety of helplines, treatment providers, and other

helpful contacts. 

A Courageous Voice is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving Wayne and Oakland Counties using prevention education around child safety in schools and other youth-serving organizations. ACV is committed to keeping children safe off and online against all types of abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, online dangers, and more. ACV believes in helping to build stronger community's using the framework of HOPE. With prevention education, our hope is that children will have increased opportunities for positive childhood experiences.

ACV was founded by Amy Mullins, a survivor of CSA who is a certified life coach and has worked with youth for over 30 years. She is a certified facilitator of Child Safety Matters and Stewards of Children, Trauma Informed certified, HeartMath The Resilient Heart: Trauma Sensitive certified, and educates youth organizations, schools , educators, and families about the importance of prevention education around child safety.

Locations:

Main Office - Oakland County

35 W. Huron St., Pontiac, MI  48342

Wayne County

2716 Joseph Campau, Detroit, MI 48207