Strength-Based Practice Paper

718 Words2 Pages

The next theory is strength based practices. This theory helps emphasize an individual’s determinations and personal strengths. As an outdoor instructor, it is the idea of focusing your attention on the strengths rather than the weaknesses of an individual. The concept of strength based practices was formed by a social worker named Bertha Reynolds and the theory was then officially founded by a team including Dennis Saleebey, Charles Rapp, and Anne Weick at the University of Kansas. They all have social work backgrounds and worked together to form a theory on the support of different people’s strengths instead of focusing in on the problems. “A strength-based approach consists of questioning strategies that attempt to identify ‘what works’ …show more content…

Little things like taking notes on attitude, behaviors, interactions, and skills can help us determine what type of activities a participant could possibly thrive in. For example, on a canoeing trip with a mix of high school students, there could be one or 2 students that keep jumping out if the canoe and swimming to shore. Although that is not what they are supposed to be doing at that time you might also notice how good of a swimmer they are or see if they would like to try navigating. You could have them face the consequences you have laid out as the leader but also let them know that you noticed how good of a swimmer they are or give them a specific role in the course to make them feel needed. You could suggest the idea of joining the swim team at school, resulting in helping the participants in discovering possible activities back …show more content…

You need to be able to be proactive in helping those that need help as well as encouraging those that are flourishing. Being sure everyone is getting something out of their experience in your course in the outdoors is still the main purpose. Also, another disadvantage could be that you are helping the participant focus their attention on one individual strength when they could possibly have many others. Lastly, as much as we want to help participants reach their full potential on our trips, it might not happen on your

Open Document