Rainbows at the Y

Rainbows is an international not-for-profit organization that fosters emotional healing among children grieving a loss from a life-altering crisis. These losses, among others, include separation, divorce, death, incarceration and foster care. Often youth are expected to accept the changes in their family or sort out their feelings alone. They can become 'silent mourners', and often confused and angry, they reveal their pain by acting out with negative behaviour and withdrawing in unhealthy ways.

The Saint John Y oversees the delivery of the Rainbows program throughout the Greater Saint John Area. Volunteers are given training and site support to facilitate these programs to children in elementary, middle and high schools.

The Rainbow program levels are:

• SunBeams - Preschool children

  12 weekly meetings ending with a special Celebrate Me Day for children and their parent(s).

• Rainbows - Elementary children

  Peer support for pre-school to grade 8

• Spectrum - Teen Age Children
  
  
• Prism - Single and Step-parents

  Peer support curriculum for single parents and step-parents that can help adults get in touch with their own feelings and help to rebuild the family unit.

• Silver Linings - Community Crisis Response Program

  This is a community support program for counsellors, volunteers, churches and relief organizations needing additional tools to assist youth experiencing emotional turmoil due to loss/change. Children ages 5-8 and 9-12 as well as teens are able to share their feelings and thoughts about these changes with others their own age. This program can be delivered to small or large groups.

For more information:

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Program Coordinator
Tel:(506) 646-2116
Fax:(506) 634-4183