How would you deal with a youth who did not want to be helped or motivated?
As a Youth Worker, you help others to enact essential and positive change. However, the interviewer wants to see that you understand the importance of helping others when they are ready to help themselves. You must not be impatient with people, as everyone follows their path at their own pace. Talk about the ways which you help to motivate the youth in your care while also keeping in mind the critical traits of empathy and patience.
"I am not one to give up on anyone. I'll encourage that connection and wait for it. With at-risk youth, it can take time and patience for them to come around. Pressuring a person to get help before they're ready can result in them experiencing feelings of shame, and is often counterproductive, and the results are rarely long-lasting. They have to want to do the work. I am non-judgemental and show that I am available when they are ready to enact change. If they don't come around, all that I can do is continue to be supportive and encouraging. Yet, often the youth in our center come and go and come and go again until they hit their own rock bottom and decide that they are ready to ask for help. Being open and ready for that moment is the best thing I can do. In the meantime, I keep showing them I am there and allow them to conclude for themselves it's okay to ask for help when they are ready."
"We all have our success stories, and we all have stories where we hang onto hope. We are sowing seeds in a hope garden, waiting for hope to germinate and sprout. We never know what someone's story is until they share it, and I cannot force someone to do so before they're ready. If one of my colleagues is building a rapport with the youth, and I am not, that's okay. It's not a competition. It's a journey. There's that proverb, that when you set out on your journey, and the destination seems to get farther and farther away, you realize that the actual destination all along was the journey. It's like that."
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Anonymous Answer
Motivate them by identifying their talents and skills and coach them to move forward to their future.
Rachelle's Feedback
Nice! Do you have an example of a time when you saw an unmotivated kid make a big turnaround? This could be a great opportunity to showcase your work and positive influence.
Anonymous Answer
Every young person has their path and timing so I rather figure out what do like doing at least I can start my motivation from that point to help gain attention from the young person.
Stephanie's Feedback
This is a great start, but I suggest developing your response further to show specific ways that you might motivate a young person. In the "Revised Answer" section, I have provided a suggestion for how this response could be re-stated to add impact.
Every young person has their own path and their own timing, and it's really important for me to meet each individual exactly where there are. A young person's resistance to me does not mean they're unmotivated; it means that I haven't yet been able to tap into their motivations or passions. In order to connect with young people, I try to learn more about who they are as individuals and what they enjoy, what music they're listening to, who is important to them, etc. Relationships are everything, and I find those building relationships with young people is the key to motivating them to succeed.
Anonymous Answer
I would not give up on anyone. I would make sure that I show the young person that I am there to support and help them. I would not push or shame them, but just show them that when they are ready, I am available and there to support them. I would try and motivate them by identifying certain talents that they might have.
Stephanie's Feedback
This response centers on a very positive and strengths-based approach. It sounds like you are a thoughtful and compassionate youth worker!
Anonymous Answer
I think it is important to know that the youth is ready to get help. And also the reason for having no desire for getting help. I would have a conversation with the child and figure out what makes him from being helped or have no motivation. The reason for the child could be varied. For example, I met a child from my practicum. He did not want to be helped because he said he did not trust adults and mimicked what staff told him before. I believe that.
Stephanie's Feedback
This response shows a strong understanding of positive youth development, but I would encourage you to make this response more specific and personal, and less generalized. Has there been a time in your experience where a young person didn't want to be motivated? How did you react? Do you have any specific strategies or suggestions in mind to support youth engagement?
Anonymous Answer
I would try and find some form of common interest with the young person, I would also be determined to find why the young person didn't want to be helped or lacked motivation. I would listen clearly to what the young person had to say and relay this back to them so they knew that I was giving them my full time and attention to understand them. After breaking through some immediate barriers, I would then inform the young person of all the possibilities of gaining access to things or help with something and make it clear to the young person that I would personally strive my hardest to help them along the way.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent. Connecting based on a common interest is a great strategy, as is actively listening and assuring them that you're in their corner. Can you also provide a brief example of a time when you managed to break through into an unmotivated youth? This will further strengthen your answer.
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