Motivational Interviewing for Everyday Use

Motivational Interviewing for Everyday Use 

Audience:  All audiences, mentors, youth workers, and staff responsible for training, volunteers, and community partners

Presented by: Kaydance Scotto, Jac Essing, Ilani Ortiz, and Matt Ashby

            DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps

Presenter profile:

Kaydance Scotto, Jac Essing, Ilani Ortiz, and Matt Ashby run the DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps program in Western Massachusetts. DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps (DSAP) collaborates with local schools and youth-serving agencies to create developmental opportunities for connection, contribution, and growth. DSAP Members are trained to use the conversational skills of “motivational interviewing”, alongside Positive Youth Development, to support young people in setting goals and activating the resources they have for making progress on them. Kaydance, Jac, Ilani, and Matt have a combined 24 years of experience as AmeriCorps members and staff. They have been training members and site partners in the use of Motivational Interviewing for the past 7 years. 

Motivational Interviewing (MI) has been used in clinical settings for over 30 years. In recent years, MI has been adapted to serve nonclinical settings, as well. DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps has been training members and site partners to use MI to support young people in developing a stronger sense of self-efficacy in pursuit of learning goals. Members have successfully incorporated MI in a variety of settings, from drop-in centers and afterschool programs to academic classrooms and creative programming. This workshop will provide practical information and hands-on skill-building activities for using MI to support young people with setting goals, activating resources to achieve them, and increasing their sense of autonomy, connectedness, and confidence in their ability to pursue their goals.  

Learning objectives:

1. Participants will learn the spirit/principles of MI and concrete skills to implement.
2. Participants will have the opportunity to practice MI, bring their experiences to the table, and gain familiarity with the basic techniques.
3. Participants will build understanding of how MI can be adapted for meaningful use in multiple contexts.

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