Loss and age-specific therapeutic peer-support groups
Peer Support Groups
All peer support groups are child and family-centered. They are run by trained Facilitators. Trained Mentors provide support. Each group accepts a maximum of 15 children and 15 teens.
Peer Support Group Structure
Dinner Time: Groups start with a healthy potluck dinner, then the children, teens, and adults gather in separate areas. People can do much better, emotionally challenging work when they are not hungry! Plus, this gives families a chance to get acquainted with each other or strengthen existing relationships.
Circle Time: Groups begin with a sharing circle. No one is forced to talk. We have an “I Pass” rule.
Play Time: After opening circle, children and teens can choose what they want to do from many available activities, which range from basketball to arts & crafts, dramatic plans, games, and more. Sometimes children prefer to go to the “Toy Room” to play. We learn a lot about what children are experiencing by watching them play. We also have a “Volcano Room” filled with large plush stuffed animals and a six-foot-tall wrestling dummy. It’s a safe place for children to work through aggression. Rules for the Volcano Room and the Toy room are designed to keep the children safe at all times.
A Message from Our Children
Mentoring Activities
Community-based mentoring activities are essential for building and strengthening grieving families’ connections to other families and their communities. Activities include our signature weekend activities called “Poi for the Soul,” “Surf for the Soul,” and “Seeds of Love.”
Other activities are organized in collaboration with various groups to engage children and family members in activities that promote positive values, increase skills, and widen their network of support. All activities are free, teach children about healthy eating, help children with physical fitness, and include anti-drug and alcohol messages. Hawaiian culture is at the foundation of activities we choose to make available.
“We can’t prevent domestic violence, victimization of children, and loss of family members. But, we can provide resources that help children cope with those difficult situations.” – Cynthia White, Co-Founder & Executive Director