HOSTS brings new way of helping students succeed

HOSTS project coordinator Starr O’Loughlin, sitting, is flanked by Aboriginal mentorship coach Deen Flett, left, and youth success coach Rebecca Guerin.

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

There’s a new school-based mental health and wellness project designed to help our children, youth and families succeed in school - and in life. The Helping Our Students to Succeed (HOSTS) project, which began in November 2007, will bring support services directly to Grade 6-9 students at St. Andrew’s Catholic, High Prairie Elementary and Prairie River Junior High schools. The HOSTS main office is based out of St. Andrew’s School with suboffices at HPE and PRJH schools. Through money made available from Alberta Health and Wellness, the Alberta Mental Health Board led the development of five pilot projects - Mental Health Capacity Building in Schools - initiated during the 2006-07 school year. These pilot projects are in Calgary, Brooks, High Level, Jasper Place High School in Edmonton and Peace River. They were so successful that the AMHB, Alberta Education and other key partners are assisting 27 more communities to start school-based mental health projects this school year, including the HOSTS project in High Prairie. Support from other community agencies and organizations, in addition to the AMHB and Alberta Education, include High Prairie School Division, Holy Family Catholic Regional Division, Peace Country Health, AADAC, Child and Family Services Region 8, High Prairie and District Children’s Resource Council and the High Prairie RCMP. All partners are working together to provide key mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention services to students and their families at the three schools. “If a student or parent doesn’t know where to turn for help with problems or concerns they are dealing with at home or at school, they can contact us - directly at the school site - and we’re here to help," says HOSTS project coordinator Starr O’Loughlin. Deen Flett, a former policeman, joins O’Loughlin on staff as an Aboriginal mentorship coach, and Rebecca Guerin as a youth success coach. The team will also see the addition of an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission worker, as well as a health and wellness coach. Each school will provide office space for the HOSTS project so students and their families will feel comfortable approaching O’Loughlin and other project team members. Staff members will also be highly visible in the schools so the students get to know them and feel comfortable before approaching them with problems. Flett, born and raised in Gift Lake and who has been active in a variety of sports throughout his life, has also found some unique ways to establish trust with the students. He has arranged a PS3 NHL Hockey Championship at each of the schools. “I want to be a role model for the kids,” says Flett. “I want to keep them in school, particularly the Aboriginal kids I’ll be working closely with.” Guerin also brings a wealth of knowledge and experience through her 10 years of experience working at the Youth Assessment Centre and Child and Family Services Authority. Her experience facilitating groups and providing one on one support is a great asset to the HOSTS team. The HOSTS project team has been conducting classroom presentations and are working on developing workshops for students and parents. For example, students at St. Andrew’s are already talking about starting an anti-bullying group. This project couldn’t have come at a better time for students in this age group. “Grade 6-9 is a crucial time in a child’s life as they begin to develop physically, mentally and emotionally," says O’Loughlin. “They are learning to deal with positive and negative influences in life.” Self-harm, depression, stress and bullying are just some of the problems that can occur during this crucial period in a child’s life. And research shows that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, and that 1.2 million young Canadians live with anxiety, depression, substance use disorders and other mental health issues. The overall aim of this project is to build “resiliency” - the critical coping sills that give people the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt well to change. Early support and intervention are vital to building resiliency. “This is what the HOSTS project is geared to do - to assist children and youth to make the right decisions and get help when it’s needed," concludes O’Lough- lin. O’Loughlin, Guerin and Flett can all be contacted at any of the schools involved, and would love to hear from community members and parents for questions, comments or suggestions.

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