ASK: (open question to pupils by teacher):

• How can we all make a commitment to help keep our fellow pupils safe from negative influences?

Facilitate a short discussion using sticky notes to capture and display their ideas. Select a few to share with the class, drawing out key points that pupils have learned during the programme.

EXPLAIN:

Using some of the output from previous sessions, we will reflect on what we have learned about ourselves to develop a personal action plan, identifying:

• things that make us resilient

• what might make us vulnerable

• something we might need to manage our vulnerabilities and further develop our resilience, such as people, help and skills

• key actions we are going to take to achieve this

Hand out Resource Sheet 11a: Planning our future

EXPLAIN:

The sheet is divided into four sections. These can be used to develop an action plan to reflect on what we have learned and how it might help us in the future.

Let's first look at how we might complete the sections for Marcus, which will allow us to practise together as a class.

Display the example Resource Sheet 11b: Planning Marcus' future on the smartboard. This will model the process for completing their own plan. Encourage pupils to suggest what would be in each quadrant using the example in each section as a prompt but adding their own examples for Marcus. Keep this version displayed on the smartboard for pupils to refer to if needed.

Pupils should review work completed in previous sessions on their own identity, becoming resilient and their circle of trust. They should use this to help them understand their own resilience, potential vulnerability, and how to use it to help plan for the future using Resource Sheet 11a.

EXPLAIN:

You should review the work you each did previously around your identity, becoming resilient and people in your circle of trust. Working on your own, complete the worksheet. You can use some of the work you did in the previous sessions and the sheet we have just completed for Marcus to help you, but you must have your own version with your own thoughts to help you plan your own future. You will also use this to help you in the next activity.

EXPLAIN:

You will write a letter, an email or produce a vlog addressed to yourself.

In it, you will review the key things you have learned throughout the Choices programme, focusing on how you will use this knowledge to better manage situations in your own lives. This might serve as a valuable reminder in the future to help you consider any choices you might face.

Using Resource Sheet 11a: Planning the future from the previous activity as a guide, think about constructing the letter in short paragraphs. Think about the following:

• My identity

• Positive influences in my life

• Negative influences I will try to avoid

• Managing my needs

• Helping others

• Good decisions I have made

Encourage them to think about specific situations where they could have/or have applied this knowledge. For example, they might imagine giving advice they believe would be helpful. Encourage them to include how they feel, any worries or concerns they may have, and what they might do to overcome these. It may also be helpful to think about the start of a letter with the class as a whole. However, the layout of the letter is much less important than allowing pupils to reflect and personalise their advice.

NB: Writing a letter to oneself is considered a good way of encouraging young people to be reflective. However, pupils who might find this particularly difficult could instead address the letter to Marcus, advising him how he could make better choices. When planning the letter, pupils should think about the same sections detailed above but concerning Marcus, offering advice on managing the situations in his life to achieve better outcomes. Pupils should make sure that they empathise with Marcus and suggest alternative, positive actions and encouragement while focusing on how this will help him rather than critiquing his behaviour. If it helps, they could imagine that they are one of Marcus'Marcus' ''trusted circle''.

If some pupils find letter writing difficult, they could complete a more straightforward activity, such as ''draw and write'' to create a picture representing the advice they are giving to Marcus or themselves.