Training

Training in Schools for Students

Supporting young lives and preventing problems.

Death can be hard to comprehend at any age, but children who have never encountered it before are unlikely to have the information they need to understand what has happened. If a child has a friend who has been bereaved they may have a mixture of feelings. They may feel sorry for them, or they may feel relieved for them, they themselves could feel frightened or sad and they may not be sure how they can help.

Listed below are some of our training options for students:

• School/Year Assemblies.
• A training package providing understanding around the grieving process and tools that can be used in lesson delivery for the personal, social and health education programme.
• A training package designed for schools who either wish to set up or already have an existing Peer Mentor or similar support/buddy system. The programme aims to cover:-
  1. Issues of loss and bereavement.
  2. Help raise awareness of emotional difficulties which arise in young people e.g. isolation, vulnerability and bullying.
  3. Practical ways of dealing with emotions such as anger.
  4. Students will explore how they might support a peer experiencing difficulties in a compassionate and enabling way.

The Peer Mentor/support/buddy training is delivered in 1 hr sessions over 6 weeks and can be delivered either in lesson slots, lunchtime or after school. Training will be delivered using a variety of methods including practical activities; DVD’s, group exercises and presentations and is designed for up to a maximum of 18 students.

There is no charge made to schools for the training of your students, however, we do ask the students if they would be happy to organise a fundraising event for us. A fun and great way to support your local charity.

The following comments are from teachers and students that have completed our training:

"Our students now have a better understanding of how people feel at this time"

"This has really helped me gain a new understanding and insight"

"I now understand how to keep memories alive and why this is done"

Training in Schools for Senior Managers, Teachers and Teaching Assistants

Up to 70% of Schools have a bereaved pupil on roll at any one time. Many staff members feel anxious about supporting a bereaved pupil in school or addressing bereavement and loss in the curriculum, but we are able to offer you resources, training and support to help you in this sensitive work.

We are aware that schools must realise that every child matters and our programmes can be used as part of the requirement for community cohesion and as part of a citizenship programme. Full day/half day training sessions are available for Senior Managers, Teachers and Teaching Assistants. The following are some of the options:-

• Full and Half days for Primary, Secondary and Special Needs.
• After School Staff Training.
• Bespoke training to your specific needs, situation and requirements.
• Support and Advice in Developing School Policies to Major Incidents and Crises.
• Full days training session covering how to create and implement a major incident policy and how to continue offering bereavement support within the School community. This days training would be facilitated by Noah’s Ark and Charles Matthews, Principal Educational Psychologist for Children’s Services and his team.

Costs for the above training are as follows:

• £1000 for a full days training with up to a maximum of 20 delegates.
• £500 for a full days training with up to a maximum of 10 delegates.
• £500 for a half days training with up to a maximum of 20 delegates
• £250 for a half days training with up to a maximum of 10 delegates.
• £250 for 2, 2 hour after School training sessions for Teachers and Teaching Assistants with up to a maximum of 10 delegates.

These costs include consultation, design and delivery of all courses. The courses are offered either in your own Schools or off site at our premises in Worcester and in Hereford. Training offered at our own premises will include light refreshments. If your requirements differ from what is stated above we will be happy to discuss your requests with you.

Professionals/Business Training

We offer training tailored to your own specific needs and situations.

Future Training Dates

It is in the interest of every school and their community to have a policy in place for Critical Incidents. Noah’s Ark Trust will be working with the Educational Psychology Service in Worcestershire to provide Schools with training in the development and implementation of this policy.

Thankfully the most serious incidents are not common occurrences for Schools; however, Schools that are well equipped and prepared for that eventuality have been proven to offer a greater level of support to the wider school community. This is immediate support and then long term. The impact of an emergency needs to be responded to by the Senior Leadership Team and their support teams, therefore, we are offering a unique opportunity to access a specifically designed training course for Heads of Schools or a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Supporting your School Community through a Critical Incident

Date: 5th October 2010 or 20th January 2011

Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm (Registration and coffee 9.15am)

Venue: Worcester Woods Country Park

Cost: £125 per delegate (A light lunch and refreshments are included)

Aim and Outcomes:

• To develop an understanding of a child’s perception of death. The impact of loss and grief on children and young people’s physical and emotional health, including their learning.
• To gain insight into children and young people’s reactions to loss and grief and how a school might respond in order to meet the needs of grieving pupils and the whole school community.
• To understand how to look after our own needs as professionals and carers and ways to support ourselves and our colleagues.
• Practical and creative ideas in supporting a primary or secondary environment that links into SEAL and PSHE.
• To create a framework for appropriate responses to a variety of possible deaths in a School community enabling you to write your own Critical incident policy.

Please contact Alison Kane for further details or to book a place on: 01905 340019 or 07814442930. Alternatively you could email her at Alison.k@noahsarktrust.co.uk