Theoretical Framework + Research Basis

The Nest You Belong Here K-12 curriculum draws on evidence-based practice and literature across various disciplines such as education, violence prevention, neuroscience, early childhood development, and clinical and community psychology, among others.  Content is designed to reinforce neuroplasticity: the understanding that our brain’s thought patterns can change and adapt in response to different environments and experiences. While neural networks in the brain can be changed at any time, like many other principles, it has more success when applied early.

In doing so, the curriculum and supplemental programmatic materials provide opportunities for educators, students, caregivers, and communities to engage in activities that:

• Build community & connection
• Create a safe school climate
• Foster critical thinking.
• Support students in cultivating healthy relationships.
• Promote safety by helping students effectively recognize and respond to risky contexts.
  
• Support social action and pro-social behavior.

Typically, prevention programming offers the potential for community resilience to victimization. While this is critical, it doesn’t employ educational strategies to target offending behaviors. Nest’s interventions strive to prevent physical harm but go beyond safety skills to promote overall well-being and mental health. Based on evidence and our extensive experience, it is important to start teaching healthy relationships content at a young age because it is a critical time in a child’s development. The You Belong Here curriculum creates the building blocks for coping skills and emotional agility that have positive impacts on incidence of perpetration and victimization.

The You Belong Here curriculum bases its approach on the CDC’s social-ecological model of violence (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024), which considers that many forms of violence and harm are interconnected through complex interactions between individual, relational, communitarian, and societal factors. Using this model, in conjunction with a robust body of research, Wilkins et al. (2014) observe that multiple forms of violence often share the same root causes, where the “Lack of non-violent social problem-solving skills” is linked to all types of violence perpetration evaluated (p. 9). 

Considering this deficiency, a program that provides youth with violence prevention skills across all social-ecological factors has a significant potential for decreasing violent victimization and perpetration (Vagi et al., 2013; DeGue et al., 2013).

Neuroscience

Children and adolescents experience a gradual-but significant-neurological development of their prefrontal cortex, which controls key emotional and social behaviors (Amodio & Frith, 2006).  For this reason, it is important that students have consistent learning experiences that strengthen the neural networks in charge of these processes. The You Belong Here curriculum puts neuroplasticity as a core principle of our lesson design, providing multiple instances of empathy cultivation through experiential learning combined with insightful knowledge about how the brain is involved in preventing violence and fostering positive relationships (Gerdes et al., 2011). 

Pedagogy and Curriculum of Trauma & Violence

This curriculum acknowledges the complexities of discussing topics around traumatic experiences, which can put teachers and students in uncomfortable situations. You Belong Here curriculum accepts that discomfort is a possibility through the learning process, but accepts it as a part of building empathy toward our own and others’ experiences, and challenging personal beliefs or values to promote social justice and engaged community members (Mintz, 2013; Zembylas, 2015). Thus, this curriculum is framed by a trauma-informed approach that fosters a safer brave space (Arao & Clemens, 2013) through ethical discomfort.

Mindfulness

Multiple studies regarding the practice of mindfulness meditation demonstrate its potential for improving social skills (Napoli et al., 2005; Schonert-Reichl & Lawlor, 2010), reducing emotional distress (Wall, 2005), and preventing disruptive behaviors in students (Schonert-Reichl and Lawlor, 2010; Semple et al., 2005). Based on this body of research, the You Belong Here curriculum incorporates mindfulness practices through its lessons as a way of increasing social competences and emotional self-regulation (Meiklejohn et al., 2012). 

Multiple studies regarding the practice of mindfulness meditation demonstrate its potential for improving social skills (Napoli et al., 2005; Schonert-Reichl & Lawlor, 2010), reducing emotional distress (Wall, 2005), and preventing disruptive behaviors in students (Schonert-Reichl and Lawlor, 2010; Semple et al., 2005). Based on this body of research, the You Belong Here curriculum incorporates mindfulness practices through its lessons as a way of increasing social competences and emotional self-regulation (Meiklejohn et al., 2012).