EUGANGS Community SafetyInterpersonal Communication 1

Emotional Intelligence

Preparation

• Read this article on the evolution of the brain – it will help you understand the content of this session

http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_05/d_05_cr/d_05_cr_her/d_05_cr_her.htm

• Feel free to ask questions

Aims of the session

You will:• understand the principles of emotional

intelligence as it relates to the young people they work with

• be able to describe the principles of emotional intelligence

• reflect on the use of emotional intelligence in situations where they are working with young people

Session overview

• You will speculate on what happens in the brain when we get angry / anxious

• You will then receive information from research on Emotional Intelligence to develop your understanding of these processes

• Finally, you will apply what you have learned to ways you communicate with young people and apply the theory to say why certain methods are effective

Three questions

1/ What happens in our brain when we fly off the handle?

2/ What happens in our brain when we stop ourselves from flying off the handle?

3/Why has the brain evolved in such a way that we fly off the handle in the first place?

Speculating on the brain

• Have a go at answering the three questions individually

• You might not be sure at all about your answer, but just put down some thoughts, even if you think they are wide of the mark

• This will help you digest the information you are about to receive

• Once you have written down your own thoughts, discuss the questions as a group

Key concepts in EI

• The diagrams provide some key concepts in Emotional Intelligence (EI) and give some clues for the answers to the questions

• As a group use this information and each other’s insights to refine your answer

• Select a scribe to write down the answer for your group

Daniel Goleman explains EI

• Listen to this presentation by Daniel Goleman, it will help you give a full answer to each of the questions

• As you listen, make a note of the key concepts Daniel mentions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTItzKrNX68 • As a group discuss the questions for a final time• Choose a scribe to write down your answers

So what does this mean for practice?

• What does this mean for how we behave when we are speaking with someone who is highly agitated / anxious?

• Write a list of do’s and don’ts which professionals could use to guide their work with young people/gang members

• In the right-hand column use your understanding of EI to explain why this practice is important

Helping young people understand EI

• What approaches to working with young people / adults would you suggest which would help them develop their emotional intelligence?

• This could be suggestions for individual activities, how you conduct mentoring conversations etc

Online resources

• Once you are enrolled you can access GOAL• This makes the resources for each session

available online• Your username is your student number, your

password is your date of birth in 8 figures – like this: 16121966

What have we learned?

The aims of the session were that you would:• understand the principles of emotional intelligence

as it relates to the young people they work with• be able to describe the principles of emotional

intelligence• reflect on the use of emotional intelligence in

situations where they are working with young people

Have you reached these aims? What is there you would still like to know / learn?

Next Week

• There will be no lesson on Tuesday 5th May• We propose bringing it forward to Thursday 30th

April – meaning we have two sessions next week

• Does that cause any difficulties?