Blue Skies (children's bereavement program)

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:20:08 +0000

Blue Skies - helping children cope with loss

Silver Chain is pleased to offer a workshop aimed at promoting healthy grieving for children who are bereaved.

Blue Skies is an innovative program developed by palliative care social workers, for children aged between eight and twelve years old, who are greaving the loss of a parent or primary caregiver.

Blue Skies provides a safe, fun filled and supportive environment connecting children who are grieving, and teaches them how to feel safe to speak about their feelings. The program aims to assist children in recognising, naming and developing awareness of the variety of emotions associated with death, and expressing these emotions. Bringing children together who are experiencing a similar life change also reduces the isolation associated with a bereavement and enables them to give and receive support in a shared creative environment.

What's involved
Blue Skies educates about loss, grief and change through psycho-educational sessions, puppets, play, art (paint, sand), music, and ritual. Children will explore their feelings and learn to identify their strengths that can help them through their grieving process, and develop coping strategies and trust.

For more pictures click here

The next workshops will be held

Date	10 - 11 July and 2 - 3 October
Time	9:00am - 3:00pm (all refreshments provided)
Venue	Scaboro Surf Life Saving Club, bottom of Scarborough Beach Road (The Esplanade) at Scarborough Beach, Perth WA

Blue Skies is free for participants and open to all bereaved children aged 8 - 12 years.

Silver Chain Social Worker, Belinda Hughes is involved in delivering the Blue Skies program. She says counsellors understand that children vary in their emotional and behavioural reactions to the death of a significant family member.

"One of the most common feelings children express is loneliness," says Belinda.

"This is reduced by bringing children together in a group setting, where they are encouraged to share and express their emotions. The workshops are run in a safe, gentle and supportive environment and we use puppets, paint, sand and music throughout the program to enable children to express what they've been experiencing since their loss."

"The children also learn about grief and change and they meet and talk with others who have had someone in their family die. They also learn that it is OK to talk about their feelings and that with courage, patience and creativity they can have happy times again."

Parent testimonials
"They were both more willing and open to talk about their emotions. They could say 'it wasn't fair' and express themselves more openly."

"I would strongly recommend this program as it provided a supportive, creative environment for my child to explore her loss and grief."

More information
Please phone Belinda Hughes on (08) 9242 0289 or Shelly Skinner on 0416 344 024, contactable Monday to Friday between 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Young People Who Care Awards

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

About the awards

Young People Who Care is an annual awards program recognising the efforts of young people in Western Australia who help to provide care to others in our community. The awards program is open to people between the ages of 10 and 18 living anywhere in Western Australia who provide voluntary care to others.

How to enter a nominee

If you know a young carer who deserves to be recognised then complete the nomination form online and tell us about the person or group and the amazing things they do for others.

Alternatively you can download the nomination form here and post or fax back to us.

Nominations close Friday, 30 September 2011.

post          Young People Who Care
                 6 Sundercombe Street
                 Osborne Park WA 6017

fax            (08) 9242 0268

email nominate@youngpeoplewhocare.com.au

For further information, please visit www.youngpeoplewhocare.com.au.

Award Categories

Caring in the Community presented by Silver Chain.
Recognising a young person who provides voluntary care to a person or people in their community.

Young Carer presented by Carers WA.
Recognising a young person who cares for a family member with a disability or illness.

Caring Together presented by Woodside Energy Ltd.
Recognising an exceptional group of young people providing voluntary care to others in the community.

The rewards

Acknowledgement
All nominees receive a certificate to thank them for the amazing things they do for others.

Award Ceremony at Parliament House
All finalists, two guests and the person who nominated them are invited to attend a special award ceremony at Parliament House where all finalists will be acknowledged and the winners for each category announced.

Prizes
Finalists in each category will receive an award and a Young People Who Care gift bag of prizes.

Scholarship Program
Finalist from each year's awards will have the opportunity to apply to the scholarship fund. The scholarship assists Young Carers with educational needs and supports the development of community initiatives for the caring in the Community and Caring Together finalists.

Award Partners

Young People Who Care is presented jointly by Silver Chain, Carers WA and Woodside Energy Ltd.

Latest Events

Blue Skies (children's bereavement program)

Young People Who Care Awards

About the awards

Award Categories