Teenagers who have experienced loss have found solace and understanding through an art project that encourages them to express their grief and connect with peers facing similar challenges.
The "Seasons of Life" workshops, piloted by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust in several schools across counties Armagh and Tyrone, have engaged approximately 100 students. The initiative aims to help young people process bereavement and loss through creative expression and shared experiences.
Niamh, a 17-year-old pupil at St. Patrick's High School in Keady, shared how the project helped her after losing her mother. "The whole experience just made me more comfortable to talk to others about grief and I built a lot of strong friendships from it," she said. "I think it has just helped make me a more resilient person overall and more comfortable with expressing my feelings."
The project involves activities such as storytelling and art, guiding students to recognize signs of grief and offering coping mechanisms. One particular activity had students write the names of loved ones on paper leaves to hang on a symbolic tree.
Joe, another student at St. Patrick's, participated after the loss of his aunt. He found the non-judgmental environment beneficial. "I liked that you could talk about your feelings without anybody judging you," he stated. "I never felt I had to worry about what I was saying, because other people taking part had also lost someone."
Ailicia, 17, found the project particularly healing as it coincided with the anniversary of her grandfather's death. "Putting my grandad's name up on our tree felt quite comforting, and it gave me a sense of it being a special way to remember him," she explained. "One of the big things I've taken away from it is that when you lose someone grief is a completely normal way to feel and I felt better talking about it."
Glennis Doherty, Vice Principal at St. Patrick's High School, highlighted the project's significant impact. "It has really helped them understand that just like the seasons of the year, there are times when we all feel happy, confident and there are other times we experience conflict, anxiety and loss," Doherty said. "So the project was a chance for them to explore those feelings in a safe space and develop the emotional skills to deal with them."
Dr. Sinead Hannan, Assistant Head of Psychology Services at the Southern Trust, described bereavement as an under-discussed public health issue. "In the UK, the parent of a child who are under 18 dies every 22 minutes, and we know from research that 80% of children don't access psychological intervention whenever they need it," Hannan noted. "So this means often that children are grieving silently and sometimes on their own, and we know the early intervention around grief can change the trajectory of a child's life."
The workshops are delivered by a multi-disciplinary team, including specialist school nursing, pediatric psychology, the Southern Trust's bereavement coordinator, and Cruse bereavement support services.
The project culminated in a collaborative mixed-media collage, featuring a tree and a heart, which has been displayed prominently at St. Patrick's High School. The Southern Trust indicated a desire to extend the program to primary schools if funding becomes available.