UMatter Week at School
UMatter Week is a student-led initiative that empowers students to support their peers that are struggling with isolation, and teaches individuals that there is strength in seeking help.
UMatter’s goal is to cultivate a culture shift in schools, to bring students from a place of depression and extreme isolation to a place of hope and inclusion. The UMatter message is twofold: you, as a person, matter unconditionally, and you, as a person, matter to someone else.
“I learned that I’m not alone. That the teachers who shared their stories… are there for me.” – Student at Walled Lake Western High School.
Challenges that students face can be due to social anxiety, mental illness, trauma, and more. During UMatter Week, schools focus on spreading the message that each individual matters.
Teen Talks
Teen Talks is a teen support program that occurs monthly at Friendship Circle. Teens gather in small friendly groups to have an open conversation about mental health, mental illness, anxiety, suicide, hope, strength, and more, in a safe environment.
Each Teen Talk is focused around a theme such as: Stress, Positive thinking, One Thing I Wish My Parents Knew, Hope, Exams and other teen-friendly topics.
Snacks are on us!
Peer to Peer (coming soon)
Peer to peer is a teen program that pairs students together in order to foster a healthy and safe friendship where both teens feel comfortable talking about their real life struggles. This is a great program for students to further develop friendship and mutual support.
Each student will sign up to meet with their partner once every month, but this can be flexible with the students schedule.
Peer to Peer meetings can be held at Friendship Circle. Students can also conduct their Peer to Peer meetings through:
Phone calls
Whatsapp
Zoom chats
In person, where both students feel comfortable.
Students will be responsible for documenting when they have met with their peer.
SafeTALK LivingWorks Training:
SafeTALK LivingWorks Start is a 90 minute online suicide alertness training to prepare anyone 13 years or older to recognize when someone is thinking about suicide and connect them to help and support. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. SafeTALK trained helpers can recognize the signs and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources.
Learning goals and objectives:
Over the course of their training, safeTALK participants will learn to:
Recognize signs and prevent suicide at home, work and school
Connect those in need with life-saving resources
Practice a four step model to keep someone safe from suicide
Training Features:
Personalized learning experience and information
Built in safety features and resources
Dynamic simulations and interactive videos
Powerful, intuitive skill building model
Mobile responsive design
