Critical
Skills
Overview
Critical Skills are the core skills and attributes that help drive change and empower progression whether in employment (specifically) or life (generally). These are the skills most sought by employers and are essential in getting and keeping a job, as well as progressing in employment towards improved qualifications and promotion.
wild2 Projects engages young people in team oriented activities which simulate “real life” experiences. The core skills are threaded throughout the entire programme and help trainees identify their own learning styles and intelligences and improved their understanding and abilities to gain knowledge and understanding, and apply that learning in a safe environment.
As well as using computers to record journals and for letter writing, trainees will be able to maintain a video diary and create a video log of their activities. Trainees will be encouraged to use technology to improve presentation skills and to prepare a portfolio of work for assessment, including a short video “movie” outlining the highlights of his / her activities throughout the programme.
During the project trainees will learn and use a number of different communication techniques, some verbal, some non-verbal and gain an appreciation of the importance of clear and precise information flow.
Trainees are encouraged to work collaboratively and use complimentary strengths to solve problems. In order to succeed, trainees will use a number of techniques including “brainstorming”, discussing, listening and co-operating with others. Using the outdoors as a natural learning environment, trainees will then put theory into practice in specific problem simulations, supported by the Project Leader, who will provide support and feedback. By working through these problems (or challenges) trainees create the need to know, allowing them to develop and apply their knowledge, demonstrate skills/attitudes, attend to their process, and see the big picture that makes the work worth doing.
Trainees will work together in small groups, mentored by a Project Leader, and will be involved in all stages of the programme. Several activities will require interaction between groups in the form of competition and / or co-operation. Trainees will be able to develop a wide range of inter and intra-personal skills to meet the demands of most workplace experiences and will develop confidence in expressing themselves in an appropriate, assertive and effective manner.
The ability to perform simple calculations is essential in many aspects of life. Often such calculations are done without conscious thought, and are taken for granted. Trainees will be encouraged to consider areas where these incidences occur and use, or enhance, existing intelligence to improve conscious numeracy efforts.
