Seasons for Growth

Seasons for Growth (SfG) supports 6 to 18-year-olds in understanding and managing grief.

On this page

  • Tier: Tier 2: Early Intervention Cohort Specific Support
  • Type of intervention: Disaster, grief and loss
  • Strength of evidence: Level 3: Foundational and emerging evidence for program
  • Geographic location: Statewide

Program description

Seasons for Growth (SfG), is a trauma informed early intervention loss and grief program. The program is based on the belief that change and loss are part of life and supports young people to understand their grief. It is a small group program catering for ages 6-18 years, that consists of 8 sessions.

The SfG allows participants to learn the knowledge and skills required to build emotional literacy and resilience. The program incorporates a wide range of activities:

  • writing
  • drawing
  • discussion, stories
  • roleplays
  • meditation
  • journaling.

SfG also builds knowledge within school communities, enabling the school to sustain the program on an ongoing basis.

Intended outcomes

  • Positive adaptation to experiences of change and loss and knowledge that change will occur again
  • Regaining emotional stability
  • Establish positive connections between previous and current life
  • Increased positive choices and improved decision making
  • Adjustment to the experiences of change and loss
  • Improved wellbeing

Program details

Target audience
  • Primary school students
  • Secondary school students
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
  • LGBTIQ+ students
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse students
  • Students with disability
Program providerMacKillop Family Services
Delivery mode
  • Face-to-face
  • Online
  • Combination of face-to-face and online

Implementation considerations

  • Target population: Students aged 6-18 years.
  • Program adaptability: SfG has been adapted to support children and young people with experiences of suicide, forced migration, home-based care and Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
  • Staffing: The program is facilitated by trained Companions.
  • Training requirements: Training for Companions can be delivered online or face-to-face. There is a minimum of 15 participants for face-to-face training.
  • Factors to consider: The program is delivered to small groups of 4-7 participants. Children and young people are invited to attend the appropriate group level: Level 1 (6 - 8 years) which are 40 min sessions, Level 2 (9 -10 years) which are 40 min sessions, Level 3 (11-12 years) which are 45 min sessions, Level 4 (13- 18 years) which are 50 min sessions. There are 8 formal sessions plus a celebration session.
  • Australian context: The program has been developed and applied in Australia.

Cost

Item cost

$5000+

Detailed cost

SfG 2-day online training is $750 per person (inc. GST) which includes a manual pack and an online professional development session, which forms part of the Companions accreditation in the program.

Students receive a journal at the group, these vary in cost from $14 (inc. GST) for levels 1-3 and $17 (inc. GST) for level 4 per person with 4-7 students in a group.

Education

Updated

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