LifeSavers
LifeSavers© is a peer-support, crisis and suicide-prevention program which trains students to be caring listeners in their interactions with their peers. LifeSavers are trained in the following areas:
- Active listening skills
- Confidentiality
- Valuing diversity
- Recognizing signs of suicide, depression, chemical dependency, etc.
- Safely helping friends and peers who are struggling
- How to seek help from trained professionals for peers in trouble
- Making healthy lifestyle choices free of illegal and harmful substances
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is LifeSavers?
A. LifeSavers is a peer-support, suicide and crisis-prevention training program to help young people cope healthfully with the challenges of drugs and alcohol, peer and family relationships, sexual issues, academic problems, aggression, anxiety, depression, and suicide. LifeSavers is a recognized student organization in twenty seven Illinois and four Louisiana high schools which have chosen to be pro-active in caring for their student population. Now LifeSavers is establishing chapters in colleges and universities. John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University have the inaugural collegiate LifeSavers student organizations.
Q. What does the LifeSavers Program do?
A. LifeSavers trains selected students to be skilled listeners who can responsibly help other students deal with the emotional and situational crises of young adulthood.
Q. How can an untrained student deal with serious emotional problems?
A. Students are not trained to be professional counselors but to be listeners. Young adults will more often turn to one of their peers for help before they ask a professional. By listening, a LifeSaver can assist others in working out personal and emotional problems before they become life-risking. By listening with care, a LifeSaver can provide direction toward professional help when needed.
Q. What characteristics should a LifeSaver have?
A. Both LifeSavers trainees and LifeSavers advisors should be emotionally mature and be good communicators. They should have an interest in helping others and should have taken a leadership role in reaching out to other students.
Q. What type of training do LifeSavers receive?
A. Training stresses the twelve "flavors" of LifeSavers:
- * education about dysfunctional youth * listening skills
- * self-esteem development skills * positive peer relationships
- * coping skills * leadership techniques
- * self-awareness * group participation skills
- * decision-making skills * sharing with and feeling concern for others
- * breaking communication barriers * knowing one's own limits & when to refer to a professional
The keys to LifeSavers training are deep listening skills and mutual respect. These caring students, our LifeSavers, develop their capabilities to listen carefully to their peers, make healthy decisions, cope with stress, promote loving communication with their families and others, and enhance their own self-esteem in order to live happier, healthier, and more productive and satisfying lives. The training weekend is a deeply moving and potentially life-changing experience for students and adult facilitators. Mature friendships are made, and broken ones are mended. Barriers of differences in age, gender, ethnicity, economic status, roles, and interests, all crumble as students learn how much they share of pain, dreams, confusion, fears, love, and fun!
And the growth and commitment continue through the school year in scheduled meetings at which LifeSavers organize activities to enhance their school and their peers and to share their concerns within a responsible and supportive group.
Additional information can be found at: www.lifesaverstraining.org
To become an active member of LifeSavers at John A. Logan College, please contact:
Jennifer RoseAdvisor/Counselor
Student Success Center
John A. Logan College
700 Logan College Rd
Carterville, IL 62918
Jennifer.Rose@jalc.edu
(618) 985-2828 Ext. 8259
