"FRIENDS for Life"

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As a response to the ongoing bushfires and drought, North East Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service is providing free facilitator training for the Friends Program, for 80 teachers and health professionals in the North East Region.

Friends is a classroom based anxiety and depression prevention and early intervention program for primary and high school-aged children, that can be delivered by teachers and health professionals.

"FRIENDS for Life" helps children and teenagers cope with feelings of fear, worry, and depression by building resilience and self-esteem and teaching cognitive and emotional skills.

We would expect that those who train will deliver the program in their school. Programs can either be provided to a whole classroom or to a smaller group of selected children.

The schools will be responsible for the purchase of workbooks for children ($14), this could be sourced from external funding bodies.

There are two training days available, one will take place on the 5 March in Wodonga, and one on 6 March in Benalla. Please see attached flyer for further details.

RSVP before 16th February 2007

Esther O'Brien, Mental Health Promotion Officer, North East Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

For more information contact:

Melinda Shepherd, Executive Officer
Central Hume Primary Care Partnership, Benalla Community Care
45 Coster St, Benalla, 3672

Tel: (03) 5761 2263, Mobile: 0439 633 564, Fax: (03) 5761 2202
Email: centralhumepcp@delatitechs.hume.org.au
URL: www.centralhumepcp.org

For details/interview call the Editor on (03) 5798 1858