Seasons For Growth
Helping students overcome change and uncertainty
The cumulative impacts of recurrent COVID-19 lockdowns have been compounded by natural disasters in many Australian communities. These successive disasters have also taken a toll on the whole school community, including teachers, leaders and students.
Research suggests that 85% of parents have reported changes in their children during lockdowns. Victoria’s Commission for Children and Young People found that one third of young people surveyed reported psychological distress as a result of the pandemic. The experiences negatively affect children and young people’s development and overall social and emotional wellbeing.
The MacKillop Institute is committed to supporting professionals to support children and young people impacted by uncertainty as well as significant change and loss experiences. The Institute’s Seasons for Growth evidence-based programs are based on the belief that change and loss are a part of life, and grief is the normal response to these losses. Seasons for Growth helps children and young people respond to adverse events and they are more likely to adapt well given timely and appropriate information and support.
“The core intentions of Seasons for Growth programs are the development of resilience and emotional literacy to promote social and emotional wellbeing, with the overarching aim to improve the quality of life of children and young people,” says Fiona McCallum, general manager of Seasons for Growth. The programs are also designed to help with other experiences that may trigger feelings of loss including include family separation, death, parental imprisonment, loss of a pet, illness, moving house or school.
Seasons for Growth is an eight-week small group program, led by a trained facilitator from the school, and it invites young people to practice new ways of responding to change, understanding the effects of change, loss and grief while developing skills in communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. It incorporates a wide range of creative learning activities with content that is highly visual and age appropriate across four different primary and secondary levels.
In the past 12 months over 1,400 professionals across Australia have been trained in the programs. “One facilitator recently described Seasons for Growth as an essential preventative measure for kids”, McCallum says. She also emphasises the importance of working with school systems and the Beyou wellbeing teams to support the integration of the programs with other school wellbeing initiatives.
Resources are also developed for parents and carers to support the wellbeing of their children. Research has indicated that the capacity of parents and carers is often impaired following major change and loss in families.
The Seasons for Growth programs meet the Australian Professional Teaching Standards. It’s third edition released in 2015 reflects developments in research evidence and practice wisdom, strengthening the program links with theoretical frameworks. This research evidence is foundational to the programs and new evidence will continue to inform updates.
A trained facilitator from the NSW south coast captured the value of the program recently, stating that ‘Seasons for Growth is really a program for the times we are living in.’
Helpful support resources to download and share with your school community
Find out more, how to offer the Seasons for Growth program to your school
Contact godelieve.hofmanverkuyl@mackillop.org.au
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