Facilitator's Guide:

Introduction, Programme Themes, Overall Aims of the Programme, The Whole School as a Supportive Community, The Special Role of the Guidance Counsellor, Chaplain, Year Heads and Form Tutors, Who Should Teach or Facilitate the Subject, Challenging Issues, lnservice Training, Methodology and Facilitation, Timing, Where in the Curriculum?, An Ethical Framework, The Ethical Framework During Programme Facilitation, Programme Evaluation, Introducing the Programme, The Facilitators role and Facilitation Methodologies, Physical Environment and Spatial Dimension, Guidelines using Specific Facilitation Methodoligies, Brainstorming and Nominal Group Technique. 

Programme Units:

1. Change Throughout Life 
2. First and Earliest Memories of Loss 
3. Initial Reactions and Responses to Death 
4. The Possible Stages of Grief 
5. Factors which Influence our Responses to Death 
6. Contemplating Different Types of Death and Possible Grief Responses 
7. The Grieving Process and the Tasks of Mourning 
8. The Consequences of Unresolved Grief 
9. Gender and Loss 
10. The Do's and Don'ts of Grief and Loss 
11. Communication Issues and Changing Relationships 
12. Parental Separation and Loss 
13. Mental Health Issues and Suicide - A pro-active response 
14. Universal Beliefs and Funeral Rituals 
15. Change Death and Loss as Catalysts for Fulfilment in Life plus a Directory of Organisations & Support Services.

Specific Objectives

To help students accept change and loss as part of life - by exploring with them changes and losses which they have previously experienced. 

To inform pupils of, and to help them understand the facts of death and dying.

To help students reflect on their memories of death - their reactions and recollections. 

To facilitate student understanding of the grieving process by explaining the stages of grief - thus providing reassurance regarding the significance of associated emotional responses.

To expose students to many different possible death situations and the possible responses of the bereaved to those situations. 

To offer some useful advice on the desirability of meaningful grief and the potentially dangerous consequences of unresolved grief. 

To assist students in developing successful coping skills by suggesting some positive response strategies. 

To help pupils assist the grieving process for others by offering advice on positive / effective responses. 

To alert students to some of the typical difficulties faced by teenagers and their peer group when dealing with grief and loss. 

To explore issues of grief/loss and gender responses. 

To enable students to understand and accept how the dynamics of family relationships can change due to death. 

To open up the emotional-world for each student and to encourage communication of emotions. 

To develop the skills of listening so that quality time could be given to friends or family members who may need their support. 

To reflect on the issue of suicide and its consequences, and to propose other positive means of dealing with problems/crises. 

To explore in a reassuring way the possible nature of loss experienced through marital separation and to offer guidance on support systems/responses for those who need them. 

To examine the issue of 'ritual' and to explore the function and nature of ritual across different cultural paradigms. 

To focus special attention on some traditional Irish rituals and their function 

To help students see death as possibly a catalyst for 'achievements' fulfilment and 'living' throughout life. 

To expose students to some of the very useful literature and resources on the theme of grief/loss. 

To provide relevant information on possible referral services including telephone numbers and addresses.