In Section 4: Program Delivery, you learned that a critical component of youth development involves structuring activities so that youth are building and reinforcing new skills. Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, and Schellinger (2011) have identified four common elements in afterschool and expanded learning programs that are most effective in developing skills. These elements or characteristics, dubbed the SAFE features, are: S = Activities are sequenced A = Learning is active F = Activities are focused on developing personal and social skills E = Activities explicitly target specific skills and outcomes
Directions: Use the worksheet below to develop or review program activity plans to ensure that they are SAFE. An example is provided below, followed by a template for your use.