Enrichment, Leadership and Skill Building (ELS) Service Area Strategy
Identity Formation
Overview
The Identity Formation Strategy is designed to provide opportunities for middle and high school youth to increase their self-esteem and sense of purposefully belonging by focusing on the resiliency, strengths and assets of their personal identity. Identity Formation programs provide project based activities that help participants understand the social and historical contexts that influence the many parts of their personal identities. Through these experiences participants analyze systems of power and oppression, develop relationships with positive peer and role models and build self-identity and self esteem.
DCYF allocated $2,850,000 in annual funding to 18 programs across 17 agencies for the Identity Formation Strategy.
Strategy Goals include:
To increase self-esteem and sense of purposeful belonging.
To strengthen the dispositional factors that influence positive behaviors and increase self-perception and hopefulness for the future.
To increase cultural and historical awareness and understanding of others.
To increase opportunities for self-expression.
To increase connections to peer support and caring adults.
To increase social awareness, resiliency and coping skills.