Core to our model is providing structured and in-house and community-based opportunities for our students to socially engage and build meaningful and lasting relationships. Pre-processing, planning, real-time/in vivo coaching, and post-processing can all help students find, build, and maintain the social connections that can make life in college so much fun, and choosing an intentional living and learning community in a college environment creates the unique and ideal conditions for students to develop the following skills:
- Self Awareness
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Skills
- Self Management
- Responsible Decision Making
The Importance of Social Support
We recognize that our students may face unique challenges when it comes to socializing and building connections with their peers. Our programs and services are designed to provide the support and resources they need to overcome these challenges and thrive in a social environment.
How Mansfield Hall Supports Social Engagement
We take a holistic approach to social support at Mansfield Hall. This means that we focus not only on providing continuous and regular opportunities for social engagement (there is always something fun going on at The Hall or in the community), but also on building students’ social skills and addressing any underlying challenges that may be preventing them from making meaningful connections with their peers.
Our safe and supportive community, robust evening and weekend social calendar, skill development seminars, and real-time coaching all play a key role in helping our students develop the social skills they need to succeed.
Social Emotional Learning Support
Goal Setting and Case Management
We center each student’s individualized social and emotional learning around their goals for expanding their communication, engagement, and stress management skills. Students work closely with their team to identify, articulate, and work toward these goals, and they benefit from the ongoing support and coaching provided by the Mansfield Hall team.
Augmenting individualized goals, students also participate in a host of ongoing Interpersonal Skill Development Seminars.
Typical Seminar Topics:
- – Self Advocacy for College
- – Interpersonal Communication for Community and Friendship
- – Interpersonal Communication for Online Social Communities
- – Relationship Seminar
- – Interpersonal Communication for the Workplace
- – Wellness and Self Regulation Seminar
Pre-Storative & Restorative Practices
By intentionally addressing community, connection, and social integration as critical elements of the Mansfield Hall experience, we are able to provide the safe and supportive community our students need in order to be comfortable being themselves as they are engaged in the process of becoming who they will be in the future.
Pre-storative practices provide the framework and process needed to help our students acclimate to college and greater independence while also connecting with peers and being respectful and supportive community members both within The Hall and beyond.
Additionally, Restorative Practices create the environment for students to increase their social and emotional learning opportunities, build and strengthen community values, and address any conflict in the community in a way that centers on the voices of those impacted by the actions of others, while also creating the opportunity for community members to build perspective-taking and empathy skills, take authentic accountability for their actions, practice interpersonal communication skills, and make responsible decisions.
Partnership with Local Service Providers
In addition to the comprehensive Social and Emotional Coaching available within the scope of Mansfield Hall, students may also choose to secure the services of a local service provider for support with Occupational Therapy (OT), individualized Speech and Language support (SLP), or work with a therapist, counselor, or other mental health provider. While these relationships are separate from enrollment within Mansfield Hall, and students are always welcome to utilize their provider of choice, we are able to provide families with a list of practitioners in the area who have historically worked well with Mansfield Halls students.