Understanding the Needs and Characteristics of the Group & Its Members

1. Understanding the Needs and Characteristics of the Group & Its Members

2. What are NEEDS?

3. Notes for: What are Needs? (Give group members a moment to respond.) A need is something important that is missing or deficient--a lacking of something that is essential. What if members of our group right here have some unique needs? What if ______ (pick a name) has been feeling isolated for several years and it bothers him so much he is thinking of joining a gang to “have some friends”? What if ______ (pick another name) has had failure after failure and is desperately looking for something at which he can succeed? What if _______ (pick a third person) has parents who have recently divorced and he feels like his whole world is coming apart and he thinks no one can be trusted? How important would it be for the rest of us to recognize needs such as these and try to be helpful? Would you (pick a fourth person) want to be helpful to someone with such needs? Why/why not? How good are you (group) at seeing and understanding these kinds of needs? Would you like to learn some things to help you be better at it?

4. Self- Fulfillment Recognition Self-Respect Friendship Safety, Security Air, Food, Shelter, Warmth

5. Notes for Need Pyramid: THIS IS THE TRIANGLE OF NEEDS WE ALL HAVE!! The most basic human needs include Air, Food, Shelter and Warmth (bottom of pyramid). Though we can live without safety and security, they are really important (next row up) I think all of us would agree that we need friendship—maybe not to stay alive, but to be happy! We all need to feel a sense of recognition and self-respect. For most of us it is super important to feel self-fulfilled—this is where we feel our lives have meaning. Most of us need a place where we feel we are successful to experience this.

6. What are Characteristics?

7. Notes for: What are Characteristics? What are Characteristics:(give a minute to respond) Characteristics are details about someone-- their looks or personality For example: In describing ‘John’ we might say he is so tall or has brown hair, or we might say he has a great sense of humor or is really quiet. These are characteristics. Open your books to page 17 and jot down some of your characteristics and needs. (give time to write and share) The question is, when is the trait simply a characteristic, and when is it a tip-off to an unmet need? Examples: *Someone is unusually quiet…. Or loud! *Being a troublemaker, obnoxious, critical, or unreasonable *Sitting alone, away from the group *Turning one’s chair facing away from a group *Never being pleased with the decisions of the group *Always having to be right *Folding arms and legs and leaning back in a retreating way *Looking away rather than looking at you Can you think of a situation you will share with us, without naming names, where you believe a characteristic indicates an unmet need? This could be a friend, a family member or someone at school.

8. What happens this week could make an important difference in your life!

9. Notes for: “What happens this week can make an important difference in your lives and the lives of our squad members” What can we do on our All Star course to understand others’ needs and characteristics better? (This is a good place to allow members to think about what they have experienced in the past, and to think of ways they can be better than they were before. Have them think of a situation where they might be able to use their new skills to actually help someone this week.) I challenge each of you to build unity by being more aware this week of the needs of your squad members.