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Pre-activity: Watch the short clip Healthy Relationships (Source Department of Premier of Cabinet Victoria 2017)
As a class, discuss the following:
Why didn't Kiah reach out for help?
What signs told Jas that Kiah needed her support?
How did Jas reach out to Kiah?
UNDERSTAND
UNDERSTAND
Asking for help
We hope people will offer help when we need it. Sometimes we think people should just notice our needs or be mind-readers. Sometimes we give hints, and think this is the same as asking, but it is not. Also people don't offer help sometimes because they are afraid of intruding. This activity is about developing help seeking skills. These are skills for life. People need them in their relationships, at school, when they travel, and in their working lives.
Three-step help-seeking formula
This is an assertive three-step strategy of asking for help. If the first step does not seem useful, it can be dropped. but the second two steps are essential. In some situations, it is the emotional level that is most important, but in other situations, where practical help is needed, it might not be as important.
Step 1: Explain how you feel.
Step 2: Name the problem.
Step 3: Make a request for help.
Activity 3.1 Think back to Kiah and Jas. Show the clip again if needed. Imagine you are Kiah in the scenario. For a group of three and:
Decide on the two people she will ask for help.
Draft what she will say using the 3 step help seeking formula.
Inform each group that they will need to role play their scripts to another trio where they will be critiqued as to how well they followed the three-step help-seeking formula.
Where can I get help?
Where can I get help?
Activity 3.2 Read the examples of sources of help and discuss the questions in your workbook.
NOTE* It is important a person chooses the best type of help for the situation they are in. For example, if their safety is under immediate threat it is best to call 000.
Class question: Do you feel Kiah accessed the best source of help for her situation? What makes you say that?
Act and apply.
Act and apply.
Activity 3.3 Students select one of the six scenarios.
Students to complete the Time to Act handout in their student workbooks.
Identify reasons why the character may not be seeking help
Suggest ways they could be encouraged to overcome these barriers.
Pretend you are the character in the scenario. Decide on the two people they will ask for help. Why did you choose those people?
Draft a script of what they will say using the three-step help-seeking formula.
Next pretend you are a friend of the character and draft what you will say in response to them asking for help.
Recommend the most appropriate sources of help and draft a timeline of actions for them. Be specific and include websites
Activity 3.3 Scenarios.pdfHINT for question 1:
Reasons for why people do not seek help
- They don’t really believe that talking about it, counselling or therapy will help
-They or other people see it as a sign of weakness
-They don’t like to rely on others and prefer to do things themselves
-There is no one around that they feel able to talk to.
-They’re not sure who they can trust and if they will keep what they say confidential
- They’ve tried asking for help in the past, but it didn’t go very well, and it put them off
- It’s hard to know when it’s ok to cope by themselves or when they really need help
- They justify their feelings or make excuses to themselves in order to avoid asking for help
- It’s too expensive or they don’t have the right service in their neighbourhood
- They’ve never done it before and feel scared or worried about what might happen
- They’re embarrassed or ashamed.
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