Identity Building and Cultivating Strengths and Talents that Foster Success for System-Involved Youth

Robert Dousa

Training Description

System-involved youth often navigate complex life experiences—such as family disruption, placement changes, community violence, or involvement with multiple service systems—that can deeply influence how they view themselves and their future. These experiences may lead to self-doubt, mistrust, or a narrowed sense of possibility. At the same time, they often cultivate resilience, adaptability, and insight well beyond their years. Recognizing both the challenges and the strengths within these experiences is essential to supporting youth in developing a more empowered, hopeful sense of identity towards building a life that is constructive, inspires joy, is fun, promotes success in social settings, academics, and career related activities, and brings about a feeling of security in them that leads to healthy well-being, engagement with community.

This training centers on shifting that narrative—helping youth recognize their inherent worth, uncover their unique strengths, and develop talents that create pathways to achievement. By using…