Our Programs

Education and Training

School Assemblies
- The school assembly is 75 to 90 minutes and covers the three types of depression, the warning signs of depression and suicide, and help–seeking behavior. The purpose of the assembly is to lift the lid off the issue of youth depression and suicide on a campus–wide level; letting everyone know that it is okay to talk about and deal with.
Classroom Presentations
- The classroom presentations are 90 minutes long and can be a follow–up to the assembly or stand alone. The presentations are discussion–based and involve role–playing. It helps the students process the information in a smaller group setting. The goals of the presentation are:
  - to create a help–seeking atmosphere among the students, to equip the students to know the warning signs of depression and suicide, and to equip the students to know how to help.
Faculty Training
- The faculty training is a 90 to 120 minute seminar designed for all school staff. It provides the faculty with basic gatekeeper training. The topics covered include: the warning signs of depression and suicide, risk and protective factors, understanding a suicidal young person, and what to say/what not to say when talking to a hurting student.
Parent Education
- The parent education is a 90 minute seminar for parents and concerned community members. It covers a lot of the same topics as the faculty training but from the perspective of being a parent or a concerned adult. This seminar can be held at schools, community centers, churches, or other public locations.

Community Awareness

Unite 4 Life will launch a public awareness campaign in local communities we work in.

The purposes of the campaign will be:

to create an atmosphere in our communities of reaching out to hurting youth
to remove the stigma associated with youth depression
to bring to light the topic of youth depression and suicide and make it okay to talk about
to educate the community on what to look for and how to respond
to reinforce the messages taught by Unite 4 Life through our education and training
to link individuals and families to our website and to national hotlines to assist them in finding the resources they need

Community Resources

Peer Support Groups
- A 10–week support group facilitated by a trained and licensed counselor. The group is designed for hurting students as well as those at risk for depression or suicide. It gives the students a place to open up in a comfortable environment as well as covering topics such as coping skills, problem–solving skills, and anger management. The groups can be held at schools, community centers, churches, or other public locations.
Character Education
- Unite 4 Life gives on–going presentations to students covering several aspects of character including: respect, self–esteem, honesty, choices, responsibility, and perseverance. The presentations are interactive and can be held in classrooms, community centers, churches, other public locations.
Campus Clubs
- The Unite 4 Life Campus Club is an extracurricular club that takes place on school campuses. The Club is an open forum for students to discuss the atmosphere of their school and then to initiate projects to make positive changes on their campus. It is also a safe place for hurting students to go to find peers and trusted adults to talk to.
Mentoring Program
- A hurting student can be matched up with a trained adult mentor. The mentors meet with their students once–a–week either on–campus or after school. The mentor is also available to be contacted when needed. This gives the student an adult to walk through life with who is not in an authoritative or evaluative role in the young person’s life.