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:

 I.  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
I I. 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.