Seasons for Growth is an 8-week programme for children, young people or adults who have experienced grief or loss.
Programme sessions are run in small groups and last between 45 minutes to one hour, depending on the age of the group. As an evidence-based and highly regarded programme, Seasons for Growth has a unique and important role to play in supporting mental health within your school community.
The benefits of learning in small groups:
Reducing isolation and helping to build a sense of whānau.
Reminding children and young people that they are not alone; there are others going through hard times at school too.
Providing children with some special time-out from classroom activities, in order to develop their skills for coping, problem-solving and decision making, through respectful discussion and safe group activities.
Restoring self-confidence and self-esteem by helping children to know that they have some choice and agency in their lives.
Seasons for Growth Key Facts
Launched 1996
Launched in 1996 by Dr Anne P Graham PhD in collaboration with educational, health and welfare professionals.
200,000+
The programme has reached over 200,000 children and young people, and many thousands of adults.
International reach
Seasons for Growth is currently run in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and Peru.
How it works
Request
You contact Lifewalk and request the Seasons for Growth programme to be facilitated at your school. If you are already supported by a Lifewalk Chaplain, you can simply speak to them in person.
Group Formation
Lifewalk Chaplains can become trained ‘Companions’ who ‘keep company with’ children and young people as they participate in the programme alongside any peers who are also going through loss and grief. The Companion facilitates the delivery of the programme in a safe environment, using methods that promote peer support and respect.
The role of a Companion is critical to the Seasons for Growth process. Lifewalk Chaplains are an ideal match for this role, as their core practice covers the essential support skills for this programme.
Companion Support
Core Skills
Genuinely caring about supporting young people in understanding and accepting their grief.
Listening deeply and effectively.
Facilitating discussion.
Asking questions sensitively and respecting silence.
Not burdened by his/her own unresolved grief.
Relating well to the age group he/she is accompanying.
Understanding the issues related to mandatory reporting.
Acting supportively—does not rescue, distract or make participants dependent.
Trusting the participants’ experiences and capacity to choose what is best for them.
Asking “what” and “how” questions (not “why” or “which”).
Respecting the uniqueness of each person’s life story.
There is tremendous synergy between the role of a school chaplain and a Seasons for Growth companion
The chaplain is a known and trusted figure in the school community who can offer ongoing support and connection once the Seasons for Growth programme has been completed.
Research tells us that when a family is going through a tough time, the school can be a place of consistency and support for the child – especially through their social connections. We have received feedback from parents who say their children have benefitted hugely from being in the Seasons for Growth programme.
Contact us about Seasons for Growth today
