Hacking Deficit Thinking: A Youth Work Teach-In

Hacking Deficit Thinking: A Youth Work Teach-In

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Event date: -

Event type: Single day (a day or less)

YouthREX is excited to host this youth work teach-in, featuring Dr. Byron McClure and Dr. Kelsie Reed, US-based school psychologists and authors of Hacking Deficit Thinking: 8 Reframes That Will Change The Way You Think About Strength-Based Practices and Equity in Schools.

The education sector has focused for far too long on what’s wrong with students, staff, and even parents. Deficit thinking has created a powerful narrative within education that prioritizes mental illness instead of mental wellness. This narrative seems too enormous to shift away from at times because it’s ingrained in how we have historically thought about mental health.

You will be inspired and energized to explore an equity-informed strength-based approach to support youth mental health and wellbeing.

Learner Objectives:

  1. Understand the historical implications of a deficit-based approach.
  2. Identify the key elements of a strength-based approach.
  3. Understand how to support youth mental health from a strength-based lens.


Event Agenda:

  • Welcoming Remarks
  • Dr. McClure & Dr. Reed: A Strength-Based Approach to Supporting Youth Mental Health
  • Q&A Discussion with Dr. McClure & Dr. Reed
  • Spoken Word Performance
  • Breakout Room Conversations


For more information and to register: