USAID is happy to share this new Education Policy Brief on Social and Emotional Learning and Soft Skills. Both the 2018 USG Strategy on International Basic Education and the 2018 USAID Education Policy emphasize the importance of social and emotional skills or soft skills in assuring the long-term success of children and youth. Extensive evidence illustrates that children and youth with strong social and emotional skills or soft skills do better in school, in life, and at work because they gain the skills needed to lead productive lives and contribute positively to society. Through the Policy and Strategy, USAID is providing new opportunities to systematically design, measure, implement, and understand the impact of programs that build social and emotional skills or soft skills for children and youth. To support USAID staff and implementing partners in this work, this Policy Brief:

• Provides an introductory understanding of what USAID means by the terms “social and emotional skills” and “soft skills”, and how USAID recommends partners and staff to communicate about them.

• Specifies the desired outcomes and quality standards for USAID programming that teach social and emotional skills or soft skills.

• Identifies where evidence and best practices gaps exist, and where we should consider investing in further learning and evidence building.

Interested in learning more? Follow the link below to download.