TOP 5 SUPPORT SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE DEALING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF

1. Reach-out. com

This support service scored the highest using the DISERN model to identify effective support services. This great website provides young people with an easily accessible tool for moving through rough time in their life such as grief and loss. It provides clear aims in offering services such as emergency help lines and counselling for young people who are suffering with grief. A unique characteristic of this site is the real life stories provided by other young people this provides an authentic and supportive view for other young people to relate to with their own issues. A great support service for all young people. 

http://au.reachout.com/Tough-Times/Loss-and-grief/Dealing-with-death?gclid=CPnj4-XRxrcCFYRZpQodjBgAzQ

2. Headspace Website

This website is relevant  for young people aged 12-25. It provides support through current information on how to manage grief and professional health services provided to these young people. It also scored very highly on allowing young people to contact other services that may help such as kids helpline and life line. 

http://www.headspace.org.au/is-it-just-me/getting-help/how-headspace-can-help

3. Kids Help Line Website/Phone Number

This support service allows young people to contact a qualified counsellor 24 hours 7 days a week. Furthermore this service offers web and email counselling. The website is easy navigate and provides relevant information for any young person going through a difficult time in their life.

4. The National Centre For Childhood Grief Website

This website offers children and young people free counselling and support during an grieving time in a persons life. The site is user friendly and allows for young people to easily navigate through the site. This website scored a majority of threes through the DISERN MODEL.

                                            http://www.childhoodgrief.org.au

5. Life Line Website

This website provides crisis support for any person in need of help or counselling services. This website allows for free online chat and a phone line to contact if needed. This resource also focuses on suicide prevention. This resource was reliable and a 24 hour service which made it accessible for all young people.

http://www.lifeline.org.au/About-Lifeline/Want-to-know-more-about-Lifeline-/Lifeline-Information

DISERN MODEL APPLIED TO HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES

DISERN Model for identifying reliable health support services

1.Are the aims clear?

No      Partially     Yes

1   2      3      4     5

HINT Look for a clear indication at the beginning of the publication of:

• what it is about

• what it is meant to cover (and what topics are meant to be excluded)

• who might find it useful.

If the answer to Question 1 is ‘No’, go directly to Question 3

2.Does it achieve its aims?

No     Partially    Yes

1     2      3       4     5

HINT Consider whether the publication provides the information it aimed to as

outlined in Question 1.

3.Is it relevant?

No     Partially    Yes

1     2      3       4     5

HINT Consider whether:

• the publication addresses the questions that readers might ask

• recommendations and suggestions concerning treatment choices are

realistic or appropriate.

4.Is it clear what sources of information were used to compile the publication (other than the author or producer)?

No     Partially    Yes

1     2      3       4     5

HINT

• Check whether the main claims or statements made about treatment

choices are accompanied by a reference to the sources used as

evidence, e.g. a research study or expert opinion.

• Look for a means of checking the sources used such as a bibliography/

reference list or the addresses of the experts or organisationsquoted.

5.Is it clear when the information used or reported

in the publication was produced?

No     Partially    Yes

1     2      3       4     5

HINT Look for:

• dates of the main sources of information used to compile the

publication

• date of any revisions of the publication (but not dates of reprinting)

• date of publication (copyright date).

6.Is it balanced and unbiased?

No     Partially    Yes

1     2      3       4     5

HINT Look for:

• a clear indication of whether the publication is written from a personal

or objective point of view

• evidence that a range of sources of information was used to compile the

publication, e.g. more than one research study or expert

• evidence of an external assessment of the publication.

Be wary if:

• the publication focuses on the advantages or disadvantages of one

particular treatment choice without reference to other possible choices

• the publication relies primarily on evidence from single cases (which

may not be typical of people with this condition or of responses to a

particular treatment)

• the information is presented in a sensational, emotive or alarmist way.

7. Does it provide details of additional sources of

support and information?

No     Partially    Yes

1     2      3       4     5

HINT Look for suggestions for further reading or for details of other

organisations providing advice and information about the condition

and treatment choices.

Adapted from Charnock, D, 1998, The DISCERN handbook, Radcliffe Medical Press, pp 44-47. 

Health Literacy for young people

Importance of Health Literacy

What is it?

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Schools and the education system have an important role in developing critical health literacy allow for a sense of autonomy and personal empowerment when looking for help. Health literacy entails the ability to make sound health decisions in the context of everyday life. This includes; at home, in the community, at school, at the workplace, in the health care system, in the market place and in the political arena. It is a critical empowerment strategy to increase people’s control over their health, their ability to seek out information and to take responsibility.

Health Literacy skills needed for young people.

-Life Skills: Health skills are tied in with life skills. Everyday young people are faced by influences from media, consumer and financial literacy, digital literacy and health and environmental literacy. These separate entities are needed to be incorporated into the education curriculum to inform students how to make better decisions over their health.

-Making choices: Many decisions are made on a daily basis around health. As young people many of their health decisions are based around their actions in everyday life and the norms constructed within their own family or social context.

-Supportive environments: Creating supportive policies to allow individuals to increase their knowledge and skills within a supportive environment to make healthy decisions. Individuals should not just rely on the health care system.

-Schools: Education allows young people to develop life skills, criteria for judgment and choice and offer supportive and safe environments that make the healthier choice the easier choice. This environment also allows students to realise the importance of health literacy to lowering and overcoming inequities in regards to their own health.

-Empowerment: It is empowerment that supports children to become engaged citizens and critical consumers who act not only as individuals but who engage jointly for common rights, access and safety. Ensuring that health literacy is more than relying on the health sector to improve health it is an individual responsibility.

References:

Leger, L, 2001. Schools, health literacy and public health: possibilities and challenges
Health Promotion. Int. 2001 16: 197-205.

Centre for Health Promotion Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service South Australian website accessed 30/04/13

http://www.healthpromotion.cywhs.sa.gov.au/library/vh41.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion website accessed 31/04/13

http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/factsbasic.htm

Websites

Kids Helpline

Kids Helpline is Australia's only free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.

http://www.kidshelp.com.au/teens/

Mind matters

Mind Matters is a resource and professional development initiative supporting Australian secondary schools in promoting and protecting the mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing of all the members of school communities.

http://www.mindmatters.edu.au/about/about_landing.html

Seasons for growth: Good grief program

The Seasons for Growth Young People’s Program is a structured eight week program filled with peer-to-peer learning opportunities - time to talk and listen as well as take part in activities including drawing, music, art, journaling, role plays and stories.

https://goodgrief.org.au/children-and-young-people

Anglicare Australia

People need support as they face the challenging effects of grief. We offer assistance and support to grieving individuals through

• Individual or family counselling
• Information and resources
• Referrals
• Support groups

http://www.anglicare.org.au/our-services/family-support

Headspace

Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. We help young people who are going through a tough time. Looking for someone to talk to? If you're 12-25, you can get health advice, support and information from headspace.

http://www.headspace.org.au/is-it-just-me/find-information/grief

Life Line

Lifeline provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services.

Somewhere in Australia there is a new call to Lifeline every minute. People call Lifeline’s 24 hour crisis support service 13 11 14 about many things including:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Loneliness
• Abuse and trauma
• Physical or mental wellbeing
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts
• Stresses from work, family or society
• Information for friends and family

http://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/Facts---Information/Suicide-Bereavement/Suicide-Bereavement

 National centre for childhood grief

The National Centre for childhood grief provides loving support in a safe place where children grieving a death can share their experience as they learn to live with its impact on their lives.

http://www.childhoodgrief.org.au/

Reach out

ReachOut.com is Australia’s leading online youth mental health service. It’s the perfect place to start if you’re not sure where to look. Every year it helps hundreds of thousands of young Australians with information support and stories on everything from finding your motivation, through to getting through really tough times.

http://au.reachout.com/Tough-Times/Loss-and-grief/Dealing-with-death?gclid=CPnj4-XRxrcCFYRZpQodjBgAzQ