In this inspiring first of three videos, Steven shares the story about a 2009 training in India, and the power of Daniel, an 'untouchable' (Dalit).
In 2000, after chasing dot-coms, Steven had the rather mundane epiphany that it would be better to serve others rather than just serving himself.
He founded CorStone, which develops evidence-based personal resilience training – with resilience defined as the ability to bounce back and thrive in spite of adversity.
Their work is about a balance of heart and mind, with follow-through, and meaningful assessments, being as important as the initial work.
What they live and breath is unleashing potential, starting from the inside out. Steven finds that what's often missing is the awakening of spirit, particularly in families with multi-generational poverty. The potential trap: manipulation of the environment without changing context about what's possible.
In 2009 CorStone was invited to do a resilience training in a Muslim enclave in Old Dehli. Hired to do a small training of about 6 teachers, they found that when word got out, almost 60 teachers from twelve different schools, spread over the region, showed up eager for training. Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and even 'one Jew from New York.' What ensued was a phenomenal 5 day experience. Steven was greeted by Daniel, a Dalit from the slums. An 'untouchable.' And he shook hands with him.
What does it mean to live in a slum? What does it mean to be a Dalit - 'untouchable?' And what does it take to change the predictable future? The secret:
- high self-esteem
- a sense of optimism
- persistence
- self-agency
- RESILIENCE: the idea and the notion that despite absolutely horrendous conditions, and cultivation of an attitude by Daniel's society holding him as completely useless and helpless - that in spite of this, he had agency and ability
From CorStone's mission:
CorStone develops and implements evidence-based 'personal resilience' interventions and research initiatives to improve the health, education, and self-sufficiency of marginalized youth around the world.
Personal Resilience refers to an individual's capacity to 'bounce back' and thrive despite significant adversity. Personal Resilience is not an innate talent or quality. Rather, it's the result of a set of skills and supports that can be learned and cultivated. Building personal resilience is a foundational step in helping people to thrive—one which is often missing in current global development policies and programs. CorStone believes that cultivating personal resilience represents a significant paradigm shift in worldwide efforts to improve health, increase academic achievement among youth, and reduce poverty.
CorStone programs combine a low-cost 'train-the-trainer' methodology with rigorous certification. Delivered in partnership with governments, schools and local community-based organizations, its programs are effective, sustainable and scalable in even the most low-resourced settings. Since its inception in 1975, CorStone has provided trainings and programs to thousands of youth and children from over 50 countries.
In this second of three segments of his talk, Steven Leventhal looks at a holistic or ecological model of resilience.
They start with attitudes, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors at the individual level. Steven continues his talk about the power of emotional resilience training.
Resilience is about bouncing back -- finding out how to take the challenges, obstacles, and negative conditions, and use them to learn how to thrive. CorStone looks for ways to spread the practices and habits of people that have learned how to thrive. They ask "Can you find benefit in things that are challenging?" Highly recommended: "Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence" by Daniel Goleman.
Their largest program is called 'Girls First - India.' This area is severely impacted by childhood sex trafficking. One of biggest 'wins' in combating this issue is to empower the girls to help each other stay in school.
Once per week over six months, they train women on how to lead in their own communities.
Start with:
Who am I?
What are my strengths?
What is character?
What are my values?
They teach the women in the program emotional intelligence, emotional awareness, conflict resolution. If you start with emotional resilience, it has impacts on all other areas.
In this third part of a 3 part presentation, Steven Leventhal talks about Personal Resilience at the Franchise for Humanity Stanford University, California 2-20-2014.
They focus on research, programming, innovation and design, training, standardization
On the ground, they use a train-the-trainer model. They found they need to continue coaching, and follow up, to have the programs persist.
One of his most impactful experiences was a Dalit who told him "you gave us back our dignity." Dignity remains a key grounding concept that Steven returns to when he is struggling with how to have positive impact. It can be as simple as showing up, and touching someone who has never been touched.
Continuing the theme of positive impact coming from within, they find that teaching the girls self-advocacy: making sure they ask for the health care they need, to be able to stay in school ...standing up for themselves ~ has the most lasting and deepest impact. Dignity. Self-Agency. Self-Advocacy.