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What are LifeSavers and how do they help?

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 7:10 AM CDT

Well, they're not flotation devices or multicolored candies - at least not for this column. If you have a son or daughter in high school, you might have heard of LifeSavers. There are chapters of LifeSavers in 24 Southern Illinois high schools.

Today's Living Well column will introduce you to what it is and who they are. LifeSavers is a peer-support, suicide and crisis-prevention training program for high schools. If you're wondering why schools need crisis prevention, all you need to do is review this past year's local obituaries and news stories citing drunk driving accidents, bomb threats, after-game fights, drug busts and teen suicides. The LifeSavers program was developed 20 years ago to prevent teen crises, and it seems to be needed even more now.

The LifeSavers Training Corporation trains selected high school students to be caring, compassionate, confidential listeners for their peers in specialized ways that can help troubled students figure out their own best solutions before teenage stresses and problems turn into a crisis.

Why do kids need to learn how to listen to one another? When young people are struggling and hurting, they want to talk to someone whom they feel really and truly understands them. And, unfortunately, that is not often an adult. Kids talk to each other mostly. Frankly, nobody understands a 15-year-old like another 15-year-old.

Too often the scene goes like this: 17-year-old Mary said her boyfriend scared her. No one took her seriously, and she ended up with a black eye and a broken arm. Fifteen-year old John said he hated his life. People said all teenagers feel that way, and now they're attending his funeral. No one really listened to these struggling teens. But their friends heard them talking. When adults don't listen, kids do, but they may not know what to do.

By learning how to listen, to ask certain questions, and to recognize unhealthy behaviors, LifeSavers can help.

LifeSavers provide a safe confidential place where hurting kids can talk through their pain, make healthier choices, and take positive action for themselves. And LifeSavers learn to recognize more serious problems so that they can take the person to get help. Thus, LifeSavers are the links from troubled youth to professional help because LifeSavers learn to identify problems that may need adult intervention.

If you observe any group of teens for very long, you will see that they really do care about one another and support one another. The LifeSavers program teaches them how to do what they do naturally a whole lot better and more effectively.

Many programs exist that are designed for youth development, leadership skills and even some for youth suicide prevention.

The LifeSavers program covers these areas and also teaches skills that have shown to be very useful through college into adulthood and even for parents.

Students who belong to a LifeSavers chapter initiate many positive activities for their school. For example, they present drug prevention programs for grade school classes, send birthday cards to everyone in their school, provide respite in times of tragedy, prepare and deliver care packages for foster children, and conduct Random Acts of Kindness Week. But mostly, LifeSavers listen. Other kids know LifeSavers will listen, will care and won't judge or give advice.

Existing LifeSavers chapters deserve our support. If your school does not have a chapter and you would like information about starting one, contact LifeSavers Training Corp. at 549-5578 or email lifesaversjudy@verizon.net.

JUDY ASHBY is executive director of LifeSavers Training Corporation, a counselor at Catholic Social Services and a member of Jackson County Mental Health Action Team.