Going for the Goal
The GOING FOR THE GOAL Program teaches life skills to adolescents through 10 hour-long workshops taught by USC undergraduates or high school students. The program is designed to teach middle school students how to set and obtain their goals. They learn how to make good decisions and how to keep themselves on track to reach their goals. The program helps participants develop self-confidence about themselves and their future.
The program was developed by Dr. Steven J. Danish of the LifeSkillsCenter at VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity. Dr. Margaret Gatz has overseen the Going for the Goal program at USC since 1994.
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Workshop 1. DARE TO DREAM
Introduces the GOAL Program and the high school leaders. Students discuss the importance of dreams and learn to express their dreams about their future.
Workshop 2. SETTING GOALS
Presents the four characteristics of a reachable goal (positive, specific, important to you, and under your control). Students learn that dreams can be turned into reachable goals.
Workshop 3. MAKING YOUR GOALS REACHABLE
Enables students to apply the four characteristics of a reachable goal to their own goals. Students commit their goal to writing and receive a GOAL button.
Workshop 4. MAKING A GOAL LADDER
Focuses on the importance of making a plan to reach one's goal. Students place their goals at the top of the goal ladder and then identify the steps needed to be taken to reach the goal.
Workshop 5. ROADBLOCKS TO REACHING GOALS
Considers how drug use, violence, teen pregnancy, or dropping out of school can prevent students from reaching their goals. Students generate their own examples of roadblocks.
Workshop 6. OVERCOMING ROADBLOCKS
Presents a problem solving strategy called STAR (Stop and chill out, Think of all your choices, Anticipate the consequences of each choice, Respond with the best choice).
Workshop 7. SEEKING HELP FROM OTHERS
Presents the importance of seeking support in order to achieve goals. Two types of help--"doing help" and "caring help"--are presented.
Workshop 8. REBOUNDS AND REWARD
Uses the students' goal ladders to discuss how to reward oneself for accomplishing a step on the ladder as well as how to rebound when a goal or step on the goal ladder becomes too difficult.
Workshop 9. IDENTIFYING AND BUILDING ON STRENGTHS
Enables students to recognize and build on personal strengths and to transfer skills from one area of life to another.
Workshop 10. GOING FOR YOUR GOAL
Involves a series of games that give students a chance to integrate and apply the information covered in the previous 9 weeks.