Case Studies on Social and Emotional Learning
SEL applications for post-conflict, disarmament, demobilization & reintegration and disaster risk reduction scenarios - Rwanda, Mozambique, Sri Lanka
This paper explores three different cases where a SEL program successfully achieved the short-term goals listed above, in order to showcase various ways to design and implement effective SEL programs in diverse emergency settings. The cases presented were chosen because of their diverse locations, partners (e.g. foreign governments, NGOs, local government agencies), and contexts (e.g. post-conflict, natural disaster, humanitarian crisis etc.). In particular, the following research questions will be investigated:
- How to effectively implement SEL interventions for students living in a variety of different crisis situations?
- What is the most effective space for implementing SEL programs and curriculum, inside or outside of the classroom?
- How important is it to infuse culturally relevant curriculum into the design of the SEL intervention?
Information gathered on the chosen programs was derived from academic studies, internal project assessments and reports from implementing NGOs and partners, as well as personal observations of the author while teaching in Rwanda from 2011-2013. For the Sri Lanka case, consecutive American Red Cross (ARC) reports were used to track growth of program and teacher trainings. Conclusions drawn regarding the success of Save the Children's (STC) reintegration of Mozambican child soldiers referenced the experience of child soldiers in other countries as means of comparison.