Pastoral Care
Castlecomer Community School is offering the RAINBOWS programme to young people aged 12 -18 starting early March 2012 with a programme for younger children starting in September 2012. RAINBOWS is a peer support programme to assist young people who may have experienced a death, separation or other painful life change in their family. It is a self-help group, and provides a safe setting in which young people of the same age can talk through their feelings with other young people who have been through similar situations. Using various fun activities, the programme helps young people to come to a healthy understanding and acceptance of these changes. This is an established and successful programme run throughout the country.
RAINBOWS is not a counselling group. It is a safe, confidential setting where young people will share their grief associated feelings with each other and with trained facilitators. Young people are generally grouped with others experiencing a similar loss. If young people are assigned to mixed groups because of necessity e.g. bereavement and separation, parents will be consulted in advance.
There are tragic losses that can cause extreme trauma. The RAINBOWS programme is not adequate in these circumstances. Professional help should be sought. If one is already attending professional counselling/family therapy, the professional’s advice must be sought before application is made for attendance at RAINBOWS.
We invite you to discuss the contents of this letter with your son/daughter/family member in advance of application to attend RAINBOWS so that they understand what RAINBOWS is about.
The RAINBOWS programme consists of 12 sessions and will take place in Castlecomer Community School for approximately one hour after school one day a week. This programme is free of charge for all participants.
The application form should be placed in a sealed envelope and will treated with the strictest of confidence. All forms can be returned to Edel O’Connor, Chaplain, Castlecomer Community School.
If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us at
056-4441447.
