About You Can Do It! Education

Initially, You Can Do It! Education usage in schools began in the 1990s by individual teachers and principals who attended introductory workshops on You Can Do It! Education (YCDI!). Attendees purchased copies of the grade-appropriate YCDI! Education curriculum book of lessons called Program Achieve (new digital edition available) and implemented the program in their classrooms. Staff shared the success of positive student attitude and behaviour changes at staff meetings and, as a result, YCDI! Education became adopted on a whole-school basis.

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

Positive word-of-mouth communication by school administrators and teachers about the quality of YCDI! Education and the high level of professional training available to schools contributed to the growth of YCDI! Education Australia-wide. 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, over 1,000,000 young people have participated in YCDI! Education programs in Australia and various countries, including England, Ireland, Spain, Romania, Greece, Estonia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada 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.