1. Empower our clients to overcome the cognitive effects of poverty,addiction and trauma,
to equip them with the tools to successfully navigate their chosen
education and career paths,fostering relationships with staff and clients
that embody the transformational nature of the calling and purpose of the Rescue Mission.
The purpose of the Challenge Learning Program is to:
Nancy Olsten,EdD
Education Director

2. What is the problem this program exists to solve?
Poverty,addiction and trauma all impact brain functioning
Cognitive impairment includes:
• Lack of awareness of learning strategies
• Poor schemas for problem solving
• Inability to connect past experience with
current learning
These make it difficult for clients to
attain and retain employment.

3. How did this become a problem in the first place?
POVERTY ADDICTION
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACEs)
Linguistic development
Executive functions
Psycho-social development
Lower Academic Achievement
Linguistic development
Executive functions
Psycho-social development
Lower Academic Achievement
Executive functions
Social relationships
Employability

4. What is our strategy?
Greater self-awareness
Mastery
Choice
Relationship
“Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity,trauma,
tragedy,threats or significant sources of stress.” (American Psychological Association)
Resilience can be learned.

5. 0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
Women
Men
WOMEN’S RECOVERY PROGRAM
MEN’S RECOVERY PROGRAM
Why have we chosen this as our strategy?
ACE Scores:General Population Compared to NLP andWNLP Clients
March,2015

6. What are the projected
outcomes?
How will know if we
have achieved them?
• Self awareness
• Use external supports for executive function
• Mastery of English, math and computers
• Team Skills & Presentation Skills
• Successful transition to next step
on career path
Berkeley Deficits in Executive Functioning
Scale -Pre and PostTest
Classroom assessments
Pre and PostTest Asessments;CASASTests
Peer AssessmentTools and Rubrics
WABERS longitudinal data matching
In program documentation
of goals and progress

7. References
POVERTY:
Jensen, E. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind:What being poor does to kids’brains and what schools can do about it.Alexandria,VA:
ASCD.
Baydar, N., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Furstenberg, F. F. (1993). Early warning signs of functional illiteracy: Predictors in childhood
and adolescence. Child Development, 64(3), 815-829. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1131220
Smith, J. R., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Klebanov, P. (1997). Consequences of living in poverty for young children’s cognitive and
verbal ability and early school achievement In G. J. Duncan, & J. Brooks-Gunn (Eds.), Consequences of growing up poor (pp. 132-
189).NewYork, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
Noble, K. G., Norman, M., & Farah, M. J. (2005). Neurocognitive correlates of socioeconomic status in kindergarten
children. Developmental Science, 8(1), 74-87. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2005.00394.
ACEs:
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2011). Building the Brain’s“AirTraffic Control”System:How Early
Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function:Working Paper No.11. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu
Anda, R. F., Felitti,V. J., Bremner, J. D.,Walker, J. D.,Whitfiled, C., Perry, B. D., Dube, S. R., & Giles,W. H. (2006).The
enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood:A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and
epidemiology. EuropeanArchives of Psychiatry & Clinical Neuroscience,(256), 174-186. Published online. Doi: 10.1007/s00406-
005-0624-4

8. References, cont.
ADDICTION:
Fred Nyberg (2012). Cognitive Impairments in Drug Addicts, Brain Damage - Bridging Between Basic
Research and Clinics, Dr.Alina Gonzalez-Quevedo (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0375-2, InTech,Available from:
http://www.intechopen.com/books/brain-damage-bridging-between-basic-research-and-clinics/cognitiveimpairments-in-drug-
addicts
Gould,T. J. (2010).Addiction and cognition. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice,December.
RESILIENCE:
Babcock, Beth. Using brain science to create new pathways out of poverty.TedxBeaconStreet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHIq-8J2K0Q
Longhi, D., & Porter, L. (2010). Effects of higher community capacity among young adults: Fewer adverse childhood experiences
(ACEs), higher social/emotional support and better health. Washington State Family Policy Council. RetrievedApril 24, 2014 from
http://thehealthcenterww.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ACEsCommunityCapacity_11-3-10.pdf
Logan-Greene, P., Green, S., Nurius, P. S., & Longhi, D. (2014). Distinct contributions of adverse childhood experiences and resilience
resources:A cohort analysis of adult physical and mental health. SocialWork in Health Care,53(8), 776-797.
doi:10.1080/00981389.944251