Simple Interactions Tool: Noticing and Appreciating Human Interactions across Developmental Settings

Guide and Handout

The Simple Interactions Tool is a relationship building improvement tool that provides common and accessible language to talk about and reflect on interactions in practice. The Tool serves as a visual representation, highlighting the four dimensions of developmental interactions: Connection, Reciprocity, Inclusion, and Opportunity to Grow, all of which have been shown to predict youth-adult relationship quality.

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The Simple Interactions Tool is a relationship building improvement tool that provides common and accessible language to talk about and reflect on interactions in practice. The Tool serves as a visual representation, highlighting the four dimensions of developmental interactions: Connection, Reciprocity, Inclusion, and Opportunity to Grow, all of which have been shown to predict youth-adult relationship quality.

Access the Resource

Click Here

Description of Resource: The Simple Interactions Tool is a relationship building improvement tool that provides a common, accessible language to talk about interactions in practice. It serves as a visual representation, highlighting the four dimensions of developmental interactions: Connection, Reciprocity, Inclusion, and Opportunity to Grow, all of which have been shown to predict youth-adult relationship quality. This resource can support quality mentoring relationships as a training and reflection tool for mentors.

Goals: To provide programs and mentors with accessible and research-supported materials focused on how to understand interactions and to better communicate and build strong relationships with their mentees or young people

Target Population/Eligibility or Target Sites: Mentoring program staff and mentors

Corresponding Elements of Effective Practice: All

Key Personnel: N /A

Additional Information: N/A

Publisher/Source: Simple Interactions

Authors: Junlei Li, 2014. Updated with Tom Akiva and Dana Winters, 2018. Illustration updated by Kate Luchini.

Date of Publication: 2014, and updated in 2018

Resource Type: Mentor Training Resources

Resource has not evaluated for effectiveness. Research has, however, examined the resource as a tool for enhancing the interactions of after-school staff with youth when used in combination with self-videos (Akvia et al., 2016)

This resource can be accessed freely online:

https://www.simpleinteractions.org/the-si-tool.html