MCC Grant Funds Peer-facilitated Support Group Program
Michigan Campus Compact has awarded a Youth to Youth Fellowship
Grant to an Alma College program piloted by Paw Paw senior Rachel
Krefman and program advisor Thomas Batchelder.
Krefman, for her senior thesis project, proposed the implementation of
a peer-facilitated support group program for high schools. The program
was launched this fall with Alma Republic, an alternative education
high school. Sabrina Sylvain, a specialist in teen counseling, trained
four student facilitators from Alma Republic.
“Rachel’s grant from MCC enabled us to pay for the training,” said
Batchelder, an assistant professor of psychology at Alma College.
“Since September, the high school student groups have met twice a week
at Alma Republic. The student facilitators are very savvy and are going
a great job as leaders and facilitators.
“We are piloting the program this semester; we hope we can expand to more schools next semester,” he said.
Support group participants discuss a wide range of issues and
stressors, including family, self-esteem, school, jobs and the future.
Facilitators provide support but do not attempt therapy.
“The students can discuss issues in open and honest ways, probably more
open and honest than if an adult was present,” said Krefman, a senior
at Alma College majoring in psychology. A graduate of Paw Paw High
School, she is the daughter of Steve Krefman.
The high school students who serve as the support group facilitators
benefit from the program in multiple ways, said Krefman. Their
participation will help them consider possible career paths in human
services, gain experiences as leaders and learn important listening and
conflict resolution skills.
Alma College was one of three award recipients in the 2007-08 granting cycle.
Michigan Campus Compact’s Youth to Youth Fellowship grants are
financial awards up to $2,000 that are part of MCC’s Investing in
College Futures Learn and Serve grant program, funding projects that
positively impact disadvantaged youth. Applications for Youth to Youth
funds are open to students on MCC member campuses who wish to partner
with a community agency in order to benefit disadvantaged youth and
positively reinforce the merits of higher education among current
college students and disadvantaged youth.
MCC is a state-level non-profit organization that promotes the
education and commitment of Michigan college students to be civically
engaged citizens through academic, co-curricular and campus-wide
opportunities for community service and service learning.
Posted: Mon, December 10th, 2007 at 8:11AM
