Social-Emotional Learning Initiative
By The Hand Club For Kids, Chicago, Ill.
Sponsoring Organization: By The Hand Club For Kids- City/State: Chicago, Ill.
- Grant Program: Emerging Leader
- Grant Amount: $15,000
Leader Profile:
Daniel Bell is the Social-Emotional Learning Specialist for By The Hand Club For Kids (BTH), Chicago, Ill., a Christ-centered, after-school program that takes kids by the hand and walks with them from kindergarten through college. In this role, he creates and implements a social and emotional learning strategy for all BTH staff and students in addition to counseling students, facilitating individual and group counseling for students, and leading professional development for staff regarding trauma, at-risk students, social, emotional, and behavioral issues. Bell is a 2017 graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling/Human Services. He holds a Master of Social Work from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich. After graduating from Moody, Bell worked as a Prevention Specialist at Catholic Charities of Shiawassee & Genesee Counties, Flint, Mich., and later took on the role as Vice Chair of the Shiawassee Prevention Network.
Project Summary:
By The Hand’s Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiative will equip 80 staff members with an enhanced understanding and practice of the five SEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making), so that they will be able to incorporate SEL into their leadership and better facilitate the Second Steps curriculum to 1,200 students. Additionally, 60 students will receive more focused care through individual and group therapy.
