The Seasons for Life Initiative

Provided at no extra cost to schools, Seasons for Life supports secondary school communities across Australia with evidence-based loss and grief education. The initiative is designed to increase support for young people who have experienced a range of loss experiences, including loss by suicide.

What is the Seasons for Life Initiative?

The Seasons for Life initiative supports secondary school communities across Australia with evidence-based loss and grief education following a range of loss experiences including loss by suicide. Seasons for Life strengthens the capacity of young people, and the adults supporting them, to understand and respond well to change, loss and grief.

Funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care (2022-27), Seasons for Life is overseen by a National Advisory Group and is being evaluated by Professor Myfanwy Maple and Professor Sarah Wayland at the University of New England. Schools that engage in the Seasons for Life initiative will be invited to participate in this evaluation.

What are the Seasons for Life offerings?

  • Nominated school staff are trained to deliver the Seasons for Growth program for young people. Training includes supplementary learning that highlights considerations specific to implementing the program following a suicide loss
  • Nominated school staff are trained to deliver the accompanying parent session
  • Support to implement the Seasons for Growth program, including coaching support from a Seasons for Life Coordinator, a step-by-step school guide, access to a Community of Practice meetings and an interactive online community
  • An all-staff professional learning session about change, loss and grief and responding to the needs of young people, including following a suicide related loss
  • Access to the Seasons for Life: Keeping Spirit Strong Resources which assist schools to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families following loss, particularly a loss by suicide. These materials offer staff opportunities to develop cultural knowledge and understandings, build confidence, skills and attitudes, to offer culturally safe and appropriate support through relationships, hard-copy/digital resources and through links to external existing supports and resources

How is Seasons for Life delivered?

This initiative is a strategically targeted intervention that builds on the established 25-year evidence base of the Seasons for Growth loss and grief education program. We work closely with school communities, education and health partners, community organisations and Headspace Schools and Communities to identify and support schools who may benefit from the Seasons for Life initiative.

Training for nominated school staff is delivered online or in person when possible. The all-staff professional learning session is delivered by a Seasons for Life Coordinator in person in consultation with the school principal or leadership team.

The coaching and implementation support for school staff is delivered online or in person by Seasons for Life Coordinators as well as via an online Community of Practice forum.

How does my school become involved in the Seasons for Life initiative?

Secondary school communities interested in participating in the Seasons for Life initiative must first engage with a Seasons for Life Coordinator. Your Coordinator will provide further details on the initiative and will guide you in implementing and embedding the initiative in your school.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the considerations in order to access the funded training?

In order to access the funded training of the Seasons for Growth program, strong consideration must be given to the readiness of your school to deliver the program to young people.  This includes having support from your Principal.  The funded training is designed to reach young people and being able to implement groups is extremely important.
 

My high school has not been impacted by a suicide loss. Can I still access Seasons for Life?

Yes. Seasons for Life is designed to increase support for young people who have experienced a range of loss experiences, including but not limited to a loss by suicide.  This can include losses such as parental separation and divorce, bereavement, out of home care experiences, parental incarceration, migration and numerous secondary losses that frequently occur during adolescence.  This allows schools to offer the program routinely which can be described as an ‘upstream’ suicide prevention approach.

I work in a K-12 special school. Can I access Seasons for Life?

Yes. The initiative has been funded to support schools that have secondary school aged students within their setting and this can include K-12 schools.  Whilst the training for the Seasons for Growth program allows those trained to deliver the program in both primary and secondary, through this funding it is intended to be delivered to secondary school aged students.
 

Does the school have to engage with all the offerings within Seasons for Life? What does a timeline of implementation look like?

Seasons for Life is designed so that schools can select the offerings that best suit your school community.  The selection of offerings as well as the timing of implementation is best done in consultation with your Seasons for Life Coordinator so that this can be tailored to your school community’s needs.

What is the difference between Seasons for Life and Seasons for Growth?

Seasons for Life is the name given to our national initiative funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care (2022-2025, 2025-2027).  Seasons for Life is a ‘wrap around model’ of education about grief, loss and change for school communities that comprises of a number of different offerings, one of which is training in our foundation program Seasons for Growth.  Other offerings within Seasons for Life include: additional training focused on suicide bereavement, a Staff Professional Learning Session, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources, a parent session and various implementation resources.

 

My high school has been impacted by a suicide loss. How can I access Seasons for Life?

Our Seasons for Life Coordinators can discuss with you the needs of your school in relation to our Seasons for Life offerings. Please register your interest by completing the form below and you will be put into contact with the Seasons for Life Coordinator for your state  or territory.
 

Is the Seasons for Life initiative appropriate for students in primary and secondary schools?

Whilst the training for the Seasons for Growth program allows for Companions to deliver the program in primary and secondary schools, access to Seasons for Life is funded for secondary schools only. 

The Seasons for Life supplementary learning session highlights considerations specific to implementing the program following a suicide loss and the evidence base for this training is appropriate for secondary schools only. 

What support is offered following the program training?

As a trained Companion, you are supported with a comprehensive set of materials including manuals and participant journals, access to an interactive online community, Community of Practice meetings, implementation planning, and professional development.  
The Seasons for Life State Coordinator will provide you with coaching support to assist in all stages of the implementation process.
 

Following completion of the Seasons for Growth training, am I ready to deliver the small group sessions?

Yes.  The Seasons for Growth training workshop will equip you to run the small group program (supporting 4-7 participants) for children and young people from the ages of 6-18 years.  

As a Seasons for Life trained Companion, you are supported with a comprehensive set of secondary school materials and access to an online interactive community which offers a wide range of additional resources, networking opportunities and support.  

Has Seasons for Growth Children and Young Peoples Program been evaluated?

Yes, the Seasons for Growth Children and Young Peoples has been evaluated extensively by Australian universities since 1996.  Please visit our Program Evaluation page to learn more.
 

Is Seasons for Growth recognised in evidence-based program directories?

The Children and Young Peoples program is recognised in evidence-based program directories with the Australian Government’s Australian Institute of Family Studies – Communities for Children Facilitating Partners Evidence-based programme profiles.

Seasons for Growth is also recognised in the evidence-based Programs Directory with Be you/Beyond Blue: Australia's national mental health and wellbeing initiative for Educators.

In 2019, the program was recognised with a ‘high impact’ rating in the in Australian Research Council’s Engagement and Impact Assessment 2018–19 National Report and in Research Impact NSW report by the NSW Education Department.

Is Seasons for Growth recognised in state and territory wellbeing program directories?

Yes. Stormbirds and the Seasons for Growth Children and Young Peoples programs are recognised as evidence-based programs in the state education wellbeing directories in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

How do I access the Seasons for Life initiative?

Please contact your Seasons for Life State Coordinator or send an expression of interest via the form below or email: seasonsforlife@mackillop.org.au

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National Postvention Leadership Group

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Critical Student wellbeing for secondary schools extended

Critical Student wellbeing for secondary schools extended

Seasons for Life Initiative is awarded additional government funding until June 2027.

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Supporting Secondary Schools with Loss and Grief

The Seasons for Life Initiative

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Seasons for Life will build the capacity of high school leaders, staff and parents across Australia in understanding the impacts of change loss and grief more broadly, as well as following suicide and other traumatic loss events.

Professor Anne Graham AO

Our People

Meet our people

Eliza Munro

Eliza Munro

MacKillop Seasons Cultural Consultant

Renae Pettit

Renae Pettit

Seasons for Life Coordinator, NSW & ACT

Klara Jaeger

Klara Jaeger

Seasons for Life Coordinator, WA & NT

Heidi Yelland

Heidi Yelland

Seasons for Life Coordinator, SA & QLD

Hannah Jamieson

Hannah Jamieson

Seasons for Life Coordinator VIC & TAS

Get in touch with us to find out more

Keeva Mostyn

Keeva Mostyn

National Lead - Seasons for Life

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