Paradise Kids Grief Explorers Facilitator Program
This program equips facilitators, such as school guidance officers, chaplains, school counsellors, student support officers, wellbeing coordinators, psychologists, social workers and community organisations, to deliver our comprehensive grief support curriculum face-to-face within their local areas. Participants gain access to the online resources for the Facilitators Program and, receive access to hard copy resources to effectively implement the program.
The Grief Explorers Facilitator Program builds on our established (since 1996) and successful model, the Grief and Loss Support Program, tailored for children aged 7–11 years experiencing significant life changes such as death, illness, or family separation. This program, created by Dr. Ian Mavor (OAM), is grounded in William Worden’s principles of Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy. The curriculum incorporates a variety of creative exercises, including yoga, storytelling, meditation, and art activities, ensuring that facilitators are equipped to provide compassionate and effective grief support.
The Grief and Loss Support Program is delivered to children, face-to-face, over 5 weeks, 1 and a half hours each session.
Support + Well-Being + Community = Healing
Paradise Kids Australia is the children’s educational division of the Rev. Dr. Ian Mavor Foundation. We help children and teens experiencing loss from death, illness, family separation, or significant life changes. Our specialised face-to-face programs and resources focus on equipping young people through education, enhancing their well-being, and providing a supportive community to assist with healing and growth. Our founder, Deirdre Hanna, and her team have over 25 years of experience helping children improve their emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.
Benefits of Grief Support:
Grief support for children offers numerous benefits that are crucial for their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Here are some key advantages:
1. Emotional Expression and Validation: Grief support provides a safe space for children to express their feelings, which can include sadness, anger, confusion, and guilt. This expression is vital for their emotional health as it helps them to process their grief rather than suppress it.
2. Understanding and Acceptance: Through grief support, children learn that their feelings are normal and that grieving is a natural response to loss. This understanding can help them accept their emotions and the changes in their lives, reducing feelings of isolation and confusion.
3. Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Grief support programs teach children various coping strategies, such as storytelling, art, music, and physical activities like yoga and meditation. These activities enable children to manage their grief in constructive ways, helping them to develop resilience and adaptability.
4. Improved Behavioural and Academic Outcomes: Addressing grief can mitigate negative behaviours such as aggressiveness, withdrawal, and concentration difficulties. As children learn to cope with their emotions, they are likely to experience improved behaviour at home and school, leading to better academic performance and relationships.
5. Community and Peer Support: Being part of a grief support group allows children to connect with peers who are experiencing similar losses. This peer support can provide a sense of belonging and understanding, helping children feel less alone in their grief journey.
6. Long-Term Psychological Benefits: Early intervention through grief support can prevent more severe mental health issues in the future, such as depression or anxiety. By equipping children with the skills to handle their grief, they are better prepared to face future challenges and changes in life.
we’re about…
EDUCATION
Our team teaches how grief is a natural response to loss or change of any kind and how healing and growth can happen when a young person completes the tasks of grief. This includes … 1. gaining understanding and acceptance of the change, 2. feeling all the feelings associated with the change, 3. commemorating what is lost … and 4. moving on, developing a new sense of self that is stronger than before.
WELL-BEING
Our team believes in taking a holistic approach when dealing with the grief of a child or teen. We encourage techniques and activities that enhance their well-being, helping them to heal and move forward in life with confidence. Having the ability to be aware of and express their own feelings in healthy and creative ways and be better equipped to manage future change.
COMMUNITY
Our team demonstrates how each loss is unique to the individual yet they are not alone in their grief experience. We provide a peer-based, supportive space for children and teens to connect and learn, heal and grow.