Programs to Implement

These programs have worked well in other places in supporting student retention. There is usually a cost to implementing them and in some cases, there may be funding available. Please contact our office if you would like more information.

Roots of Empathy

The Roots of Empathy program was founded in Canada in 1996 by Mary Gordon, an internationally recognized educator, social entrepreneur, author and child advocate, and today has reached more than 325,000 children worldwide.

At the heart of the program are classroom visits by an infant and parent. Through guided observations of this loving relationship, children learn to identify and reflect on their own thoughts and feelings and those of others (empathy). Independent evaluations consistently show children who receive Roots of Empathy experience dramatic and lasting effects in terms of increased positive social behaviour (sharing, helping and including) and decreased aggression.

Roots of Empathy is considered a model of social innovation and has two evidence-based programs: a flagship program of the same name for children in elementary school (Roots of Empathy) and its "younger sibling," a program for children ages three to five in childcare settings Seeds of Empathy.

For more information about Roots of Empathy, please click on the link below:

Roots of Empathy Webpage

The Fourth R

The Fourth R consists of a comprehensive school-based program designed to include students, teachers, parents, and the community in reducing violence and risk behaviours. It is important that young people be given information that will help them make good decisions, and are shown positive relationship models that will demonstrate alternatives to the negative examples they frequently see in the world around them.

Below you will find links to The Fourth R website and a document that suggests youth engagement strategies.

The Fourth R Website

Engaging and Empowering Aboriginal Youth: A toolkit for service providers

STRIVE

STRIVE is a unique program offered by Sioux Lookout-based New Vision Unlimited. This high school transition program combines exciting hands-on challenges and games with valuable learning that introduces students to the life skills needed to succeed in high school - academically and socially.

Used by Queen Elizabeth District High School in Sioux Lookout since 2007, STRIVE is now being made available to support students from northern First Nation communities who will be attending any high school within or outside their community.

Peer Helping Program

Peer Helping programs have increased dramatically over the last fifteen years. Peer Programs now exist in elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, agencies, corporations, and senior citizen organizations. Although a variety of terms are used to describe peer work such as peer tutoring, peer facilitation, peer counselling, peer support, and peer education, the term, peer helping has gained acceptance as a way of summarizing a variety of peer programs.

What are the Benefits of Peer Helping?

Peer Helping assists children and adolescents to feel capable, understood, and responsible. Peer helping teaches young people decision-making skills to understand others and be understood. In addition peer helping enables youth to learn action skills to prevent substance abuse, enhance self-esteem, reduce loneliness, promote health, and support academic and personal achievement.

Peer Helping also contributes to the climate of care and respect needed by educational institutions and community organizations to reduce violence, vandalism, truancy and school dropouts. Peer Helping is also a way for communities to demonstrate the value of service to others. By establishing a Peer Program, schools and community organizations teach children and adolescents how to help, not hurt, others.

What is Peer Helping?

Peer Helping is based on the fact that youth often seek out their peers when they are experiencing some frustration, worry or concern. Children and adolescents want to help each other, yet they often do not know how or what to do. Peer Helpers are trained and supervised to provide any or all of the following:

• Listening and understanding;
• Friendship and support;
• Decision making assistance;
• Tutoring and academic help;
• Educational, career, and health information;
• Role modelling for younger children;
• Mediation and conflict resolution;
• Problem-solving assistance; and
• Referral to professionals.

How Do Peer Helpers Help?

Peer Helpers roles are determined by the type of training provided as well as school and community needs. Some typical assignments include working as:

• Peer Tutors: helping students with academic and social skills learning;
• Buddies: helping younger or new students make transitions into a new school;
• Orientation Guides: helping students from other schools or helping persons new to the community;
• Discussion Leaders: assisting with topics of concern to other children and adolescents:
• Career Assistants: helping with career choices and resources;
• Special Project Assistants: designing and coordinating services and projects of benefit to others in the community;
• Academic Assistants: helping students set goals, consider options and plan actions:
• Referral Agents: helping youth get connected to appropriate specialists;
• Peer Counsellors: helping others sort-out concerns, brainstorm ideas, and provide practical help;
• Conflict Mediators: assisting others to resolve disputes;
• Peer Educators: assisting others in learning and using important health and social information;
• Role Models: helping others learn appropriate behaviours;
• Outreach Workers: reaching out or acting as a “door opener” to the troubled or lonely.

For more information about starting a peer helping program in your school/community, contact Christine MacKay, National Level II Trainer and Peer Program Leader Consultant.
Phone: 807-474-3578 (home) or 807-625-4912 (work)
Email: cmackay@nan.on.ca

Youth Engagement

We've found these resources which offer ideas to engage youth in school and community.

Engaging and Empowering Aboriginal Youth: A toolkit for service providers

This toolkit is an excellent guide for front-line service providers, facilitators, educators, community partners and researchers. Click below to download the toolkit:

Engaging and Empowering Aboriginal Youth: A toolkit for service providers

Youth Engagement in High Schools

Youth Engagement in High Schools - Developing a multidimensional, critical approach to improving engagement for all students

The author draws our attention towards the fact that identification and harnessing of leadership qualities among youth requires us to reorient the settings where children are educated: classroom, schools or community centers. By creating more engaging settings for youth, we should be able to provide a louder voice to their unique opinions, and ultimately improve their academic standing.

Click here to view the PDF document.

Involving Parents

Schools that involve parents in their children's education report higher numbers of student attendance and academic achievement. In this chapter, we are including strategies schools can implement to engage parents as well as information about the importance of recognizing parents as valuable partners in student success.

HIPPY

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home-based education program that teaches parents to be their preschool children's first teacher and prepare their 3-5 year olds for school. So far, it has been very successful in First Nation communities in BC.

HIPPY parents are supported by easy-to-use activity packets that make learning and play fun, home visits by care professionals (home visitors) and group meetings.

1. Families who apply to the program are asked to make a two-year commitment to participate 30 weeks per year, concurrently with the school year.
   
   
2. Parents are provided with carefully developed materials, curriculum and books.
   
   
3. HIPPY home visitors, who are parents in the program, are employed to work with a maximum of 15 families each. The home visitors call upon the family every second week, bringing a new set of materials - usually a storybook and a packet of instructional materials. The home visitor and parent spend about one hour reviewing the materials, using role-play. If the parent has low literacy skills, an older child or a friend can take part in the visit. All of the instructional materials are prepared at a grade three reading level.
   
   
4. Parents spend 15 minutes each day doing activities with their child.
   
   
5. Every other week, the HIPPY program offers a group meeting for all families in the program at community centres or schools with enrichment activities for parents.
   
   
6. Home visitors are provided with weekly training sessions that better prepare them for their home-visitation work.

To learn more about HIPPY, visit their website by clicking here.

Learning Begins at Home Newsletter

This quarterly newsletter has been developed to support parents by sharing tips to help children with their education/schooling. Schools will be asked to distribute the newsletter. By clicking on the links below, you can download the pdf file of each issue. If you have something you would like to contribute to the next issue, please contact a Student Retention Coordinator at 807-737-7373 or 1-866-326-1077.

June 2010

September 2010

PowerPoint Presentations

You are welcome to use the content of these presentations as you need it.

An Intro to Student Retention

This presentation provides information on student retention success and challenges in our region and the role of the KERC FNSSP Student Retention Coordinators.

An Intro to Student Retention