Introduction Learning by competences

21st-century life skills

Life skills are the ability to adopt positive behaviors which enable a person to deal successfully with the demands and challenges of every day life.

In 1993 the Department of Mental Health of the World Health Organization (WHO) established these psycho-social skills in the personal, social, interpersonal, cognitive and emotional spheres of individuals as essential to promote health in formative years. They are:

Decision making

Finding constructive solutions to problems in different situation and contexts in life. The ability to actively develop the decision-making process can have positive effects on health by evaluating the different options and consequences implicated.

Problem solving

A skill which enables you to constructively deal with different problems, which unresolved could cause mental stress and physical tension.

Creativity: finding solutions and original ideas

A skill which helps us deal with all the situations of daily life in a flexible way; contributes both to the ability to make decisions and the ability to solve problems, allowing us to explore possible alternatives and the consequences of different options.

Critical skills: analyzing and evaluating situations

The ability to analyze information and experiences in an objective way, evaluating advantages and disadvantages of a given situation in order to come to a more mindful decision. Critical skills can contribute to health, enabling the recognition and evaluation of different factors which influence attitudes and behaviors, such as peer pressure and the influence of mass media.

Effective communication: expressing yourself in an effective way both verbally and non-verbally

This consists in knowing how to express yourself both verbally and non-verbally, in an effective and appropriate way within a culture and in any given situation. It means expressing opinions and desires, but also needs and feelings; being able to listen correctly, in order to understand others. It also means being able, when necessary, to ask for help.

Ability to interact with others: relate in a positive way to other people

The ability to interact with and relate to others in a positive way in order to create and maintain significant relationships with friends and family, vital for psycho-social wellbeing. Such a competence also enables you to interrupt relations constructively, where necessary.

Self-awareness: knowing yourself

Self-awareness and knowing your own character, strengths and weakness, desires and needs. Ability to recognize stress. A vital prerequisite for effective communication, for positive interpersonal relationships and for empathetic understanding of others.

Empathy: understanding and listening to others

The ability to understand others, to ‘put yourself in their shoes’, even in unfamiliar situations. The ability to improve social relations, acceptance and understanding of others.

Managing feelings: recognizing and managing your own feelings

The ability to recognize emotions in yourself and others. The ability to experience intense emotions, such as anger and pain. An understanding of how feelings influence our behavior and the ability to manage ourselves.

Managing stress: recognizing and controlling sources of stress

Competences in recognizing the causes of stress in every day life and ability to control them, by changing your environment or lifestyle. The ability to relax and manage tensions.