I’ve Changed, I’m Smarter: Empowering Youth to Thrive Neurosequential Approach to Employment, Education and Training Outcomes for Youth

This paper explores the impact of a neurosequential brain development approach on employment, education and training outcomes of vulnerable long-term unemployed youth, aged 15-24 years. The Empowering Youth to Thrive (EYTT) program utilises neuroscience research, which underpin varied creative and sensory and regulatory experiences used to engage youth in social and emotional learning. The aim is to enhance brain pathways to increase youth’s higher order thinking functions such as problem solving, communication and critical thinking skills. These are considered necessary attributes for positive engagement in the current and future workforce. A bricolage methodology was used to evaluate the impact of the program, with findings determining the EYTT program had benefits for participants in gaining successful training, education and/or employment opportunities.

The absence of responsive adult attachments alters brain architecture and can lead to learning and behavioural difficu lties (Gaskill & Perry, 2015). Seventy percent of genes are influenced by environmental experiences (Go leman, 2006). Schneider (2007) suggests "environmental factors and genes form a fu lly interactional system" (p. 91). Secure dedicated relationships provide positive, safe, and supported engagement that assist youth to feel protected and can prevent or reverse the damaging effects of to xic stress (Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2017). The earlier in life these relationships occur the more positive the outcome. Fostering mean ingful, engaging relat ionships and attachments, which may not have previously been available to youth regulates youth's brain function.
The EYTT program recognises that lower parts of the brain develop first and higher order thinking develops later (Perry, 2004). The majority of brain develop ment occurs in the early years of life (Moore, Arefadib, Deery, Keyes, & West, 2017). Heightened stress leads to high production of cortisol and adrenalin impeding co mp lex connections between the brain systems (Anda, Felitti, Bremner, Walker, Whitfield, Perry, Dube, & Giles, 2006). Evidence also exists that young people's brains are still developing until the age of 25 (A rain, Haque, Johal, Mathur, Nel, Rais , & Sharma, 2013).
Positive experiences, interactions and environments create rapid brain development; disadvantaged environments and poor relationships impede brain function hindering capacities to engage positively with emotions and feelings and employ higher order thinking (Perry & Marcellus , 2004). The brain is capable of neuroplasticity; it can change and rebuild pathways if exposed to new, positive, 'repetitive and patterned experiences' (Perry & Marcellus , 2004, p. 2). The EYTT program utilises this informat ion to provide a range of sensorimotor activit ies for part icipants.
Sensory explo ration, music, rhythm, movement, creativity, mindfulness and positive attachments increase plasticity and calm the brain allo wing access to higher order thinking (Gaskill & Perry, 2015).
The intention of EYTT was to expand youths' brain plasticity so they are more likely to learn new skills and develop dispositions for the possibility of future workfo rce participation. These activit ies were built into a physical, emotional and culturally safe weekly program consisting of four days of attendance fro m 9 am to 3 p m. The program followed the neurosequential brain pathway. That is, morn ings consisted of lower brain focused activities such as ensuring the participants had sufficient rest and food, building to physical activity targeting the mid brain. This was followed by clin ical arts therapy experiences targeting the limbic (emot ional) area of the brain. Higher order thinking experiences were able to be introduced in the later part of the day when the lower order areas of the brain had been calmed and regulated.
The EYTT program aimed to provide new ways of engaging youth and builds their capacities in transferable workforce skills necessary for present-day and future jobs. Building young people's www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/ct Children and Teenagers Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 19 Published by SCHOLINK INC. capacities in these attributes creates skills for mult iple jobs (Torii & O'Connell, 2017). The gradual repair of underdeveloped brain pathways potentially generates new ways of thinking and being th at creates greater potential to take on workforce opportunities. Forming supportive relationships with each participant was vital to the build ing of these capacities. In this context, supportive staff ratios of one facilitator to every three participants were built into the program enabling conducive relat ionships to be established between each participant and at least one staff member and other peers.
The EYTT program sought to motivate youth to learn through experiences that are "in a relationally safe context, and using adequate 'dosing' in a patterned, repetitive, rhythmic, and reward ing manner" (Gaskill & Perry, 2015, p. 188). Bu ild ing brain pathways empowers youth to create the possibility of change to their life trajectory, particularly the possibility of workforce engagement. As knowledge holders of their own experience youth are engaged in reciprocal learning integral to the EYTT init iative.

Methodology
The EYTT project was a collaborative and consultative venture that constructed new knowledge about the understanding and skills required by professionals and practitioners to work with long term unemployed youth. Conclusions were drawn about the impact of using a neurosequential model of therapeutics in improving youth's wellbeing and subsequent employ ment, education and training outcomes. These were based on a mult iple method, bricolage approach (Rogers, 2012).
The bricolage approach enabled opinions and p erspectives to be sought and considered so that a new 'pedagogical space' (Kostogriz & Peeler, 2007) was possible. The is derived fro m Lev i-St rauss's (1966) notion of creating pro jects using the different tools, methods and techniques available. A bricoleur then, requires knowledge of a variety of perspectives and approaches. Theoretical and interpretive bricolage reinforces the notion that reliab le positions cannot be reached by the use of one perspective. It is not intended that the pieces of this program approach will fit together neatly. Rather, the bricolage approach assists with the management of disparate data that inform the process of explanation of this innovative program (Rogers, 2012).
To examine the EYTT program a methodological brico lage was u sed to underpin data collection and evaluation approaches. A guided reflection process, enrolment and case study data, and discourse about the program strengths and challenges undertaken with facilitators, created a patchwork of information that informed the research study. Evaluation of the program occurred with participants (n=136) through written, verbal, and survey responses about their experiences in the p rogram and the changes that have The researcher kept a journal o f field observations. Qualitative and quantitative data was gathered to provide a mo re co mp lete understanding of the research problem than using either method alone (Creswell, 2015), see table 1 of data used in the bricolage. These available qualitative and quantitative tools collectively allowed a mult i-perspective evaluation of the program.

Data Co llection and Recru it ment
The mu ltip le method used in this evaluation are summarised in Table 1.  Quantitative data was co llected v ia surveys and attendance records. Participant attendance was collected fro m daily sign in and out sheets to determine program dosage for each participant. The Hope Scale (Synder, 1995) was administered to participants at the commencement and comp letion of the program. The Hope scale is a validated tool which according to Snyder (1995) recognises "hope is a construct based upon realistic evaluations about desires and the means to achieve them" (as cited in Purposive sampling, which identified participants suitable for the program was used to recruit you ng people aged 15 to 24 years fro m job providers, Queensland Department of Youth Justice, Depart ment of Hu man Services and community referrals. Co mmunity Liaison staff at EYTT connected with these organisations to recruit 136 part icipants -See Table 2 of participant recruit ment nu mbers per cohort.

Limitations
Participant attendance ranged fro m 1-4 days per week and this variable attendance potential limited the data able to be collected. A member of the research team attended the EYTT program once a week to collect data limiting informat ion to those participants attending on the day of data collection. Hope Scale surveys were disseminated by the researcher and the EYTT team to maximise opportunities to ensure data was collected fro m all program part icipants, however, only 42 matched pairs were availab le for analysis. Limitations in reach were evident for some participants that required parental or guardian consent, which was not able to be obtained. Therefore, data about participants under 18 years old or those in foster/out-of-home care were not availab le.
Not all part icipants provided answers to the 'most significant change' question or they responded with 'I don't know' at t imes, resulting in missed data. Literacy concerns caused writ ing difficulties for so me participants. This was mitigated by the researcher obtaining verbal responses fro m the participants.
Participants who did not feel co mfortable to do this did not provide a response resulting in some further data losses. Follow-up with participants about their emp loy ment, education and/or training status 12 months from co mp letion of the program proved difficult due to contact issues. Data about participants emp loyment, education and/or training status is at one month after comp letion of the program.

Results
Inductive frequency analysis of qualitative data identified key themes relat ing to neurosequential

Neurosequential Changes
Neurosequential pathways development charts were developed fro m the writ ings of Bruce Perry (2006).
Participants' confidential responses to the weekly question: "What has been your most significant change this week as a result of your participation in the program?" were frequency analysed against a coded list to determine changes to the youths' neurosequential development as a result of participating in the program.   The analysis of journal notes revealed the most frequent observations, relating to participants, were about non-judgment, acceptance and their sense of belonging (feeling like a family). The relat ionships formed between staff and participants and between the participants and their peers was seen by participants as pivotal to their success in the program. Creating a safe, calm and inclusive space that met participants needs through consultation with participants was intentional in the program's design and indeed this appeared to reduce participants' fear and stress and create a sense of belonging and emotional safety.
Quantitative analysis of Hope Scale data enabled comparison of participants feelings of agency, pathway and hope on entry and completion of the program. Pathway scores identify participants' thinking about the possible options available to achieve desired goals (Snyder, 2000). Agency scores identify mot ivation and self-belief in part icipants' capacity to achieve those goals. The integration of pathway and agency thinking produces a measure of hope. High hope individuals view 'barriers as challenges to overcome and use their pathway thoughts to plan an alternative route to their go als' (Snyder, 1994, as cited in Snyder, 2000).
The median scores and interquartile range for the pre and post administrations of the Hope Scale (n=42) are presented in Table 5. The results of the Wilco xon Sign Rank Test revealed that median differences were significant (z=4.115, p <0.001). As indicated in Table 6, there were positive differences observed for 35 part icipants, a negative difference observed for five part icipants and scores for two participants were unchanged. Overall, results indicate that the p rogram had a positive effect on part icipants as measured by the Hope Scale.

Figure1. Patterns of Positive and Negati ve Differences in Hope Scale Scores Observed
Sixty-five participants (60.75%) obtained work opportunities or engaged in education and training either during or soon after completing the program. The remain ing participants -19 are not emp loyed nor in education and train ing and 23 have status unknown. The young people who did not co mplete the program were evidently impacted by external variables such as family violence, substance abuse, homelessness, mental health, d isability, juvenile justice, out of home care, and/or family relocation.

Discussion
The results of this program recognise that the brain is imp ressionable during all stages of life (Flores , 2010) and shaped by early attachment and ongoing relationships and amenable to conducive, well-designed programming and support. As already recognised in the literature, relevancy and www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/ct Children and Teenagers Vol. 3, No. 1, 2020 27 Published by SCHOLINK INC.
intensity of experiences create motivation, potentially generating mo re rapid b rain development changes (Kolb & Muhammad, 2014). Music experiences are strong motivators important to neurosequential programs (Kolb & Muhammad, 2014). The EYTT program provided music, movement, art therapy and mindfulness in a physically, emotionally and culturally safe learn ing space, to engage participants, who reported increased social, emotional and cognitive skills that potentially lead to engagement in emp loyment, education and train ing. The data indicated that the mo re attendance/experiences for participants, the more likely they were of having successful outcomes. The observed relevancy of experiences to help engage and motivate participants in attendance were therefore considered key to this success.
A number of practical considerations regarding participants' individual life circu mstances were addressed to support their maximu m part icipation in the program. Circu mstances included not having a current driver's license and/or photographic identification nor access to a vehicle for transport, which made it difficu lt fo r part icipants to access support services, attend the EYTT program and attend job interviews. The EYTT mitigated this by providing minibus transport and assisting participants to negotiate the pathways to obtaining a driver's license and/or identification cards. Limited access to telephone and/or email was another consideration. While participants may have had phones, often they did not have credit nor access to internet for email contact. Participants not receiving welfare benefits often did not have a bank account. As intensity of experiences impact outcomes, it was deemed important to participants' successful outcomes that barriers to their participation be mit igated as much as possible. This is also considered a crit ical success factor in the program's success.
Participants were found to have very complex needs. External barriers included a lack of stable housing, youth justice engagement, domestic/family violence, neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse, significant family/carer responsibilities, mental health, substance abuse, health and developmental issues, and literacy and nu meracy concerns. These issues were often identified later in the program when a trusting relationship had been established and participants felt safe to disclose. Staff were ab le to observe behaviours indicating these issues as they became more familiar with the part icipants. Daily progress meet ings sans participants were held to d iscuss planning, so all staff were familiar with indiv idual needs of participants and to provide continuity in neurosequential experiences. to engage with youth and provide a neurosequential informed program. Staff of diverse experience, gender, culture, age, education and artisanship allowed for diverse participants to feel a sense of connection and belonging. Knowledge sharing between staff, and staff and participants provided distinct experiences of interest and intensity to motivate participants to regularly attend the program, improve their neurosequential develop ment and work transferability skills potentially improvin g their emp loyability outcomes.

Future Considerations
Critical reflection of program implementation and outcomes suggest the program's approach was overall successful in engaging youth in employ ment, education and training. A nu mber of future considerations were also identified. Staff availability to contact potential employers and attend workp laces was limited due to the 1-on-1 engagement needed with participants in the program. EYTT was successful in engaging large corporate organisations. Smaller businesses were also approached.
These were only willing to accept job ready young people. Small family o wned businesses became committed to the project and the participants they met; proving the most successful in meeting the emp loyment needs of participants. This suggests further opportunities to engage more formal and informal supports in the design of such program in the future is needed.
It is reco mmended further research, including longitudinal studies be undertaken on the benefits of neurosequential-based programs in improving youth employ ment, education and training outcomes.
Accessing social enterprise workp laces may be beneficial to creat ing collaborative approaches to the program by interlinking other community employ ment programs. A longer-term aim of training future neurosequential program facilitators and mentors may also be beneficial to youth employ ment, education and training outcomes.
The twelve-week EYTT program included follow up mentoring with participants for 12 months after complet ion. Transience of some participants and their families resulted in loss of contact. Contactable participants responded well to the mentoring process and some returned to the program as mentors (n=12). Staff and participants felt an increased duration of the program would be beneficial.
Participants felt an imp roved sense of confidence and skills capacity in the last 3-4 weeks of the program and felt a longer timeframe would bring them to a greater level of success in job outcomes.
Staff also felt that mo re disadvantaged youth would benefit fro m an increased duration of neurosequential learning and support to achieve full job readiness. Once neurosequential development has improved sufficiently to access the higher brain areas necessary for reading, writ ing and problem-solving, attendance in programs to imp rove literacy and numeracy would be beneficial.
The EYTT program intended to increase the workfo rce engagement, train ing and education capacities of participants who were identified as having complex needs . Evaluation shows use of the neurosequential model of therapeutics was critical to the development of the program. Relat ionships formed between facilitators and the young people participating were pivotal to the success of the program. Most notably, the EYTT program observed numerous benefits for participants in relation to their success in gaining further training, education and/or employ ment opportunities.