Prioritizing Mental Health for Youth in Vietnam through STEM & SEL

Kidspire seeks to test the efficiency of using S.T.E.M. to foster crucial communication and conflict resolution skills among youth, improving and building strong ties with caregivers and peers. Kidspire will implement a 10-week, 30-hour S.T.E.M. focused learning module where youth participants will learn the mechanics of coding and apply them to real-life communication, where our words and actions can have a positive or negative impact on others, continuing without end, just like a loop does in coding.

As students code games and interact as role-playing characters, they will observe and experience how escalation behaviour can yield differing results compared to de-escalation behaviour. Between sessions, participants will be encouraged to practice these similar techniques in their daily lives as they communicate with peers and adult staff.