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Seasons for Growth

MacKillop Family Services Ltd.

Seasons for Growth supports children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand and manage experiences of change, loss and grief.

  • Online
  • ACT
  • NSW
  • NT
  • QLD
  • SA
  • Tas
  • Vic
  • WA

Pricing: Paid

Origin: Developed in Australia for Australian schooling contexts

Affiliations: Approved elsewhere: AIFS, Be You, NSW, SA, VIC

Product type: Program; Fact sheets; Student activities; Learning modules

Contact details

MacKillop Family Services Ltd.
ABN: 79 078 299 288

https://www.mackillopseasons.org.au/programs/seasons-for-growth-children-and-young-people/

info.seasons@mackillop.org.au

Focus areas

  • Positive relationships

  • Belonging and inclusion

  • Mental health literacy and life skills

  • Resilience and optimism

  • Grief and loss

  • Self-esteem and body image

Curriculum alignment

  • Health and PE

Prospective users

Audience: Targeted small group early intervention (Tier 2)

Communities: Diverse cultures or language groups, Faith-based, First Nations, Neurodiversity or disability, Rainbow and LGBTQIA+

Context: School or centre-based

Main beneficiaries: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12

Delivery style: Classroom teacher is trained

Aims & approach

Seasons for Growth is a small-group peer learning program (4-7 participants) led by a trained adult facilitator (Companion). It provides a safe space for children and young people to develop communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills while navigating uncertainty, change, and loss.

Program Structure:

  • Based on J. William Worden's grief theory, addressing various types of loss (e.g., family change, natural disasters).
  • Designed for ages 6-18, with four levels tailored to different cognitive abilities.
  • Each participant completes an activity journal throughout their journey.
  • Program includes 8 formal sessions (40-50 mins each), 1 Celebration session, and 2 optional Reconnector sessions for follow-up discussions.

Key Features:

  • Engaging activities: writing, drawing, discussion, stories, role play, music, guided meditation, and journaling.
  • Adaptable content with age-appropriate visuals and flexibility for Companions to modify activities.
  • Facilitator Training: 10-hour course (online or in-person) covering theory, curriculum, and practical application.
  • Ongoing support: manuals, participant journals, networking opportunities, and an online resource portal.
  • Additional Support: Free online learning modules on topics such as forced migration, additional needs, suicide, disasters, and ecological grief. Regularly updated evidence-based resources for schools and communities.

Implementation support

  • Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor
  • Implementation training webinars or modules
  • Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support
  • Regular webinars or access to community of professional practice

Evidence

Seasons for Growth is an evidence-based program, recognised by multiple education and wellbeing bodies and grounded in Worden's grief theory, framing grief as a process rather than a reaction. The program fosters belonging, emotional regulation, empathy, and decision-making through small-group, peer-based learning facilitated by trained Companions.

Key Highlights:

  • 25+ years of research and 11 evaluations, with a 'high impact' rating in the 2019 Excellence in Research Assessment.
  • Over 400,000 participants since inception.
  • Supports inclusion, engagement, and respect for diverse backgrounds (disability, ATSI, CALD).
  • Aligns with ACARA's Personal and Social Capabilities framework.
  • Emphasises peer connection and structured small-group sessions, ensuring emotional support and shared learning experiences.