Setting Goals

Setting a goal is a powerful process for schoolchildren thinking about their lives, behaviours, attitudes and values, as well as, motivating them to develop life change behaviours. Without goals there is no plan or route in life. Many schoolchildren in low-income communities feel if they are adrift in the world and will not get anywhere worthwhile. A key reason that they feel this way is that they have not been aware of their potential or set themselves formal goals. Life is a journey similar to a trip. One needs to identify a destination, plan the journey and be fit to travel. The process of setting goals helps schoolchildren to travel safely throughout the life course.

By knowing precisely which behaviour a schoolchild needs to change, the child knows where to concentrate efforts. E-learning presentations, school quiz games, debates and topical based group discussion increase schoolchildren awareness of their behaviour and motivate them either to changing inappropriate behaviours or developing new behaviours that assist their life journey.

Achieving a goal does not happen in a straight line, but setting a goal brings the benefits of awareness and personal responsibility and undeniably helps achievement.  Goal setting makes coaching work.

The e-learning, quiz game, debate and group discussion provides schoolchildren with the initial thoughts. These sessions help the schoolchildren start thinking and formulating ideas about their future desired behaviour and what they want to work on to achieve. AHI coaches help schoolchildren to develop their own individual goals. This should not be done in an authoritarian way but through motivation. Goal setting is in the hands of the schoolchildren and they must set them. It may be that the coach needs to elicit the goal through questions such as "what will you do?" or "what would you like to get out of this topic?" By listening actively and asking clean questions the coach can help schoolchildren to identify a goal.

It is important to establish the difference between end goals and performance goals.  An end goal is the final objective and is usually something not completely in one's control.  A performance goal is something at a measurable level that gives one a good chance of achieving the end goal and is largely in one's control.  The AHI HPS model works with performance goals, which gives the schoolchildren the best opportunity for success and maximises ownership. With ownership comes motivation, underscored by choice and responsibility.  

 Good goals must be SMART.  Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. The coach should support and help the schoolchildren to decide and articulate their own goals. Goals should be positively stated. Goals would provide a stretch, if they are too challenging there is no motivation and it may take the schoolchildren into the "panic zone".  Goals must be ethical.

A typical AHI HPS model goal setting session considers individually what each schoolchild wants to achieve in relation to the topic addressed. Then, agree with the schoolchild that he/she will commit to it. Following, the AHI coach will help the schoolchild to set a SMART goal. The coach should keep in touch with the schoolchildren and checking their progress towards achieving their goals.