Programs

Group Counselling Services

The Groups Program is an integral component of Rapport's Counselling Services. It is an alternative to individual and family counselling, and in some cases, the group experience is a more preferable commitment by certain youth. Some of our adolescent clients are uncomfortable in one-to-one or family sessions. Groups provide a sense of anonymity and the benefit of interaction within a peer group. The groups program provides a safe place for youths to express their anxieties, talk about their problems and challenges, and understand that they are not alone in their struggles. It is very helpful for youth to encourage each other and to build on existing strengths within a group setting. The participants learn from other peers who have already made negative choices and, as a result, are mandated to attend anger management classes as part of their remediation. It gives the youth an opportunity, for example, to consider the pros and cons of making safe decisions of their own choosing, as opposed to choices based on peer pressure. Groups provide the opportunity for youths to share their experiences about a broad range of issues, while new ideas and possibilities are discussed in an empowering and supportive atmosphere. As one group participant said, "The thing I like the most is that to be a group you got to stick together and we did that and more so. I would call us a team. I hope we have a next group called 'Let our inside voices out'."

Referrals to our groups are generally received from school guidance counsellors, principals, teachers, probation officers and parents. The groups focus on areas of anger management, stress management, bullying, drugs and alcohol, self-esteem, relationships, and parent-teen conflicts. The Keep'N It Real, Go Grrrls, and Brigade (boys) groups are conducted in local school settings, while the Teenage Survivor groups are run at Rapport's office setting.

The duration of each group is typically 8 weeks, and each session is usually 90 minutes long. Each group can hold from 8 to 12 participants and generally aged 12 - 15 years old or 16 - 21 years old. The participants are highly representative of the tremendous ethnic and cultural diversities that exist in Peel Region.

The groups are facilitated by group workers who have professional degrees in social work and youth work, as well as professional staff in the school settings, who assist in co-leading the groups in their home schools. The evaluation of the program is provided by the participants, and overall we have received very positive messages and feedback from the youths about the value of participating in the program.

Rapport also runs peer support groups for teens who are grieving a loss due to separation, divorce, death or other significant loss within their family. These groups are facilitated by trained volunteers and follow an established curriculum from Rainbows Canada. They run for 14 weeks and have fewer participants than our typical groups.

If you would like information about our group programs, please contact Raj Bacchus, Groups Program Coordinator at (905) 455-4100.