About You Can Do It! Education

In the 1990s, individual teachers and principals participated in introductory workshops for “You Can Do It!” Education (YCDI!). Participants acquired grade-specific YCDI! Education curriculum books, known as Program Achieve (now available in a new digital edition), which they implemented in their classrooms. Staff members discussed the positive changes in student attitudes and behaviours during staff meetings, leading to the whole-school adoption of YCDI! Education.

Michael and his colleagues spent two years developing a social and emotional learning program for early childhood, which is now used in thousands of early learning centres and classrooms. Our newly published fifth edition of “Program Achieve Early Childhood,” along with the Primary and Secondary editions, is now available on this website.

Positive word-of-mouth communication from school administrators and teachers about the quality of YCDI! Education, along with the high level of professional training available to schools, contributed to the growth of YCDI Education across Australia. In 2008, The Age newspaper reported that

‘In Australia, the most widely-used social-emotional learning program is You Can Do It Education … used by more than 5,000 early learning centres, primary and secondary schools‘.

Today, more than 1,000,000 young people have participated in YCDI! Education programs. YCDI! is available in Australia and around the globe, including Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Estonia, Romania, Greece, and the United States.

Beyond Blue – Be You recognise YCDI! Education as a best-practice social and emotional learning program. YCDI! Education school curricula are aligned with the Australian national curriculum and teach the Personal and Social Capabilities outlined in the ACARA learning standards framework.