Seasons for Growth offers children and young people a safe space to come together, and share their experiences of change and loss.
You can train to facilitate Seasons for Growth groups to support the needs and priorities of the children and young people in your school or organisation.
Launched in 1996, over 300,000 children, young people and adults have participated in Seasons for Growth programs in Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales.
Seasons for Growth is an innovative, evidence-based change, loss and grief education program that draws on the metaphor of the seasons to understand the experience of grief. It builds the knowledge and skills necessary to strengthen social and emotional wellbeing following significant loss by:
- Exploring the impact of change and loss
- Learning about effective ways to respond and adapt
Participants learn that they are not alone in their experience of change, loss and grief, and are able to build their communication, decision making and problem solving skills within the context of a safe and supportive peer group learning environment.
All Seasons for Growth programs are grounded in sound, person-centred educational principles.
As such, our programs have been shown to be a very effective education intervention. The programs do not provide counselling or psychotherapy.
What people say about Seasons for Growth
"I felt a lot better because I was letting all the pain out. Sometimes in school I'd feel like crying about it, and I nearly cried. Then I just held it in. But when I went to Seasons (for Growth) I could just let it out, and talk about it. I didn't need to cry because I could talk about it" (Matt, 9).
"Having other people with the same problem to talk to has really helped" (Antonio, 12).
"My life has got worse but what Seasons for Growth has done is help me come to terms with it all. I cope a lot better. No matter how bad things get, I now have somebody I trust to talk to" (Emma 16).
"I'd like to think my son wasn't affected by the divorce but I know he was. The program has helped him to know that it happens in other families too" (Parent)
"The Seasons for Growth training has helped me to realise the impact that change and loss can have on a kid's behaviour at school" (Teacher)
84% of our Companions say that Seasons for Growth has changed them, particularly in relation to improving their understanding of children, and in strengthening their own personal qualities.