The wonderful Occupational & Life Skills Bellevue College (OLSBC) first-year cohort is wrapping up the academic year with Human Relationships, a course on how to operate successfully in the social world we live in. Identifying social signals and knowing how to present themselves and how their actions impact how others feel about them can better set them up for the types of relationships they hope to develop.
While much of our social lives are positive and can be developed with conscious efforts, part of living as a social being is learning to evaluate if a social situation is negative or has a toxic element that can lead to bullying, harm or abuse. To enhance their awareness and skills for navigating multiple social spaces when things are not trending positively, students spent an afternoon with Brad Huggins, Bellevue College’s Assistant Director of International Student Success, learning some basics of Self-Defense. He taught students about being aware of our surroundings, how to stand and speak if someone is appearing to threaten them or making them uncomfortable, how to be a helpful bystander and how to involve bystanders to help if needed. He even helped practice a few skills for how to get out of a physical grab.
This wonderful group did a fine job participating, asking about scenarios and sharing experiences. They were so involved in activities that they overflowed all our allotted time, so Brad offered to do another session!
About the OLSBC Healthy Relationships Course
Healthy Relationships is taken in the first year of the OLSBC program and is one of the many courses students take to earn their associate degree. In this course, students explore healthy and unhealthy relationships emphasizing strategies to maintain a healthy relationship in various environments. Students learn strategies to manage conflict.
About Occupational & Life Skills Bellevue College
Occupational & Life Skills Bellevue College (OLSBC) is an associate degree program for students with learning disabilities. In our uniquely supportive skills-based program, students apply academic knowledge through community activities, service learning and social experiences. Students identify a career pathway, gain marketable, workplace-ready competencies, develop better interpersonal skills and complete an internship in alignment with their career goals.
Learn more about our program at an upcoming Information Session, open to all prospective students, family members/guardians, educators, counselors and other service providers. Come learn why OLS Bellevue College is one of the best colleges for students with learning disabilities.
Last Updated June 13, 2023