Activities for Troubled Teens in Detention Center

The teenagers in juvenile detention centers are typically considered to be defiant and oppositional toward authority figures and directives. They engage in frequent violations of rules and laws, and they often show little remorse for their actions. However, many more teenagers also are diagnosed with mental illnesses before or during their stay in the detention center. For this reason, activities aimed to help them recuperate and learn coping skills are essential.

Counseling

• The essential component in recuperating is to provide individual or group counseling sessions. During the sessions, the teenagers can learn to better cope with their moods and behaviors and learn new skills in how to deal with adults in a more appropriate fashion. When teenagers are grouped together they don't feel so alone. They can listen to others talk about their personal lives and gain new knowledge and/or share common experiences. Counseling activities should allow the teenagers to share their true emotions with others and gain new coping skills.

Artistic Expression

• Teenagers in juvenile detention centers often have difficulty with academics. Providing them with creative hands-on activities so they can express themselves whole-heartedly is crucial in discovering what is truly troubling them. Activities could include painting self-portraits, drawing/coloring their perception of their world or molding dough to create models of important people or items in their lives. As they express themselves through various art forms, they learn to develop a sense of self-awareness.

Kinesthetic Activities

• Teenagers may or may not lack energy and physical activity. Therefore, engaging them in kinesthetic activities allows them to free up any bottled up emotions and/or anger they may be holding inside. When given free time to play sports or outdoor games, teenagers can release their tensions, fears, and anger in appropriate ways. They learn team work and are provided with a sense of accomplishment when they win a game. Teenagers also learn to be a good sport so as to have a win or lose attitude in the game of life.

Connect on Common Ground

• Connecting with a typical teenager is difficult. Therefore, attempting to connect with teens that have experienced severe hardships, such as gang life and drug/alcohol abuse, can be a tremendous challenge. However, find some common ground by conducting activities together. Grow a vegetable garden in the outdoor grounds of the center and have everyone, including adults, play a specific role in the garden. As everyone works together, common chat allows everyone to open up and gain rapport. The same can be done indoors in a kitchen area. Allow everyone to have a role in cooking a five-course meal so that the teenagers learn to work cooperatively and gain some essential daily living skills.