CORE SKILLS

Basic Skills Basic skills are the essential abilities which we all acquire even during the early stages of our lives. But when these are honed, they become our weapons in facing any life situation. Everyone, with the inclusion of physically handicapped individuals, has the ability to speak, but not all of us can readily talk or converse. A good communicator is one who can easily express thoughts and opinions with fluency. But being able to talk and interact is not all that is needed. Since communication is a two-way process, one must also know how to be a good and active listener. Listening is a skill, particularly active listening. A person who has good listening skill does not just plainly listen, but is also able to respond appropriately. There are people who are good at expressing their thoughts through writing. It takes skill to be an efficient writer. Just as you verbalize thoughts with sense and substance, the same goes for writing. Reading is not merely a typical human activity; it is also a skill. Uttering the words alone is not enough. One has to have the skill to comprehend what is being read. Some people do well with words and metaphors, others with numbers and figures. Mental calculation is something not everyone is capable of. You have to learn how to understand and apply number operations based from mathematical theories and formulas. All aforementioned skills comprise the basic skills. Thinking Skills The second core skill is thinking skills. Intelligent individuals can easily get their way out of challenging and unique situations. People with good decision-making and problem-solving abilities make good leaders. Those with good logic and reasoning can easily win over debates, arguments, and conflicts. In the workplace, employees are encouraged to be critical thinkers especially when challenging situations arise. Furthermore, breakthroughs in technology and modern inventions are products of the creative thinking of skilled individuals. Personal Qualities As we mature, we should also enhance our potentials and make good use out of it. Confidence is an attribute not every person can boast of. Thus it is always necessary to take steps to build confidence in yourself. What are some personal qualities that can transform us into someone we have always hoped to become? A skilled individual is not just adept at talents and abilities but also possesses fundamental inner skills such self-esteem, integrity, responsibility, sociability, and credibility to be more effective and productive. It takes certain skills to be able to socialize and be at ease conversing with people from all walks of life, with all types of personalities. It takes skills to uphold truths and keep the value of honesty. And all the more that it takes skills to be responsible in everything you do. All these comprise the third core skill which is personal qualities, and the result of possessing such skills is personal effectiveness. PROBLEM SOLVING Problem solving is a natural part of life. In any business or industry, the ability of an employee to solve problems can mean the difference between success and failure. Lacking the ability to solve problems effectively can be a source of anxiety and stress for any individual. Problem solving is not an exact science, although there are guidelines that a person can follow to become a successful problem-solver. Flexibility and open-mindedness is an essential part of being able to solve problems, whether it is in your personal life or on-the-job. Possessing advantageous problem solving skills requires a person to understand the problem, create a plan to solve the problem, seeing the plan through and reviewing the plan to ensure that the problem is solved and is not repeated. When a person has difficulty imagining a solution to a problem, it is because he is overwhelmed with the details of the problem and lacks the ability to break down the problem or see the big IMPORTANCE OF LIFE SKILLS Life skills are essentially those abilities that help promote mental well-being and competence in young people as they face the realities of life. Most development professionals agree that life skills are generally applied in the context of health and social events. They can be utilized in many content areas: prevention of drug use, sexual violence, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS prevention and suicide prevention. The definition extends into consumer education, environmental education, peace education or education for development, livelihood and income generation, among others. In short, life skills empower young people to take positive action to protect themselves and promote health and positive social relationships. Self-awareness, self-esteem and self-confidence are essential tools for understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, the individual is able to discern available opportunities and prepare to face possible threats. This leads to the development of a social awareness of the concerns of one’s family and society. Subsequently, it is possible to identify problems that arise within both the family and society. With life skills, one is able to explore alternatives, weigh pros and cons and make rational decisions in solving each problem or issue as it arises. It also entails being able to establish productive interpersonal relationships with others. Life skills enable effective communication, for example, being able to differentiate between hearing and listening and ensuring that messages are transmitted accurately to avoid miscommunication and misinterpretations. a) Critical thinking skills/Decision-making skills – include decisionmaking/problem solving skills and information gathering skills. The individual must also be skilled at evaluating the future consequences of their present actions and the actions of others. They need to be able to determine alternative solutions and to analyze the influence of their own values and the values of those around them. b) Interpersonal/Communication skills – include verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, and the ability to express feelings and give feed back. Also in this category, are negotiation/refusal skills and assertiveness skills that directly affect ones’ ability to manage conflict. Empathy, which is the ability to listen and understand others’ needs, is also a key interpersonal skill. Teamwork and the ability to cooperate include expressing respect for those around us. Development of this skill set enables the adolescent to be accepted in society. These skills result in the acceptance of social norms that provide the foundation for adult social behaviour. c) Coping and self-management skills refers to skills to increase the internal locus of control, so that the individual believes that they can make a difference in the world and affect change. Self esteem, self-awareness, self-evaluation skills and the ability to set goals are also part of the more general category of self-management skills. Anger, grief and anxiety must all be dealt with, and the individual learns to cope loss or trauma. Stress and time management are key, as are positive thinking and relaxation techniques. Criteria for using Life Skills It should not only address knowledge and attitude change, but, more importantly, behaviour change. # Traditional "information-based" approaches are generally not sufficient to yield changes in attitudes and behaviours. For example, a lecture on “safe behaviour” will not necessarily lead to the practice of safe behaviour. Therefore, the lecture should be substantiated with exercises and situations where participants can practice safe behaviour and experience its effects. The adult learning theory emphasizes that adults learn best that which they can associate with their experience and practice. # It will work best when augmented or reinforced. If a message is given once, the brain remembers only 10 percent of it one day later, and when the same message is given six times a day, the brain remembers 90 percent of it. Hence the need to repeat, recap, reinforce and review. # It will work best if combined with policy development, access to appropriate health services, community development and media.