Good online resources for therapeutic groupwork for troubled teens..

October 8, 2014 1:16 PM

Hi, I'm working with very troubled and damaged teens (a relatively new client group for me). I'd prefer not to be too explicit about my role but it's a lot to do with helping them develop life skills and also manage mental health problems. But my remit is wide and includes looking at life balance /quality and leisure.. things that matter to them so..

can anyone recommend any resources that are teen specific and friendly?

I would love to let them have some FUN too.

So good warmers/ice breakers/ easy games from 2 - 10 teens at a time.
I'd quite like to use some drama/role play too (to practice social skills) and maybe music (hip hop etc) as a route into getting kids to open up a bit.. what the hell is trendy with UK teens? Yeah I know they are a varied bunch but any broad themes would be great. I haven't watched tv for years and am not gadget savvy.

posted by tanktop to Human Relations (3 answers total)

Maybe you could let them take turns bringing in a song to share and then talk about it? You have a gold mine of information about UK teens right there.
posted by steinwald at 1:39 PM on October 8, 2014

I used to teach a lifeskills class for newly released juvenile offenders. (It was about as much fun as it sounds.) The main piece of advice I have for you is: do not bring music to teenagers. You will come off as a complete muppet. If you want to do music-based activities or projects, let them bring the music to you. At a very rudimentary level you can play charades or pictionary where people have to act out or draw the name of their own favourite song, etc. This is actually a good ice breaker!
posted by DarlingBri at 2:36 PM on October 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's not clear to me to what extent this is limited to a very specific (and possibly largely female) subgroup of people, but at least for some teens, particularly in the UK, vlogging (generally on YouTube) is a big thing. (Though at this point may already be sliding into "oh that's so 2012"???) Maybe feel out your client base but watching and discussing vloggers they find interesting might be a fun way to start conversations. There has also over the last year or so been a series of scandals around some popular vloggers sexually abusing and/or taking advantage of fans which has spawned an ongoing conversation that might potentially work as a lead in for when these same issues (of consent, of sexual intimidation, etc.) come up with your client base?
posted by Wretch729 at 2:41 PM on October 8, 2014