Mid-Year Motivation

Slide 1: Mid-Year Motivation: QPR Refresher • Year 1

Say: “Welcome to our midyear refresher on QPR

Slide 2: Mid-Year Motivation: QPR Refresher • Year 1

Say: “We have been doing Hope Squad for half a year now.”

or

“What is something you wished you’d known in August?”

Possible answers may be:

• “I didn’t realize how some students mock Hope Squad.”

• “No one has reached out to me, and I don’t know why.”

• “ I didn’t realize it would take up so much of my time”

• “I didn’t realize how emotionally draining it would be”

• “I think I’ve found my purpose in life”

As the students respond to the question be sure to listen to their statements, whether positive or negative and affirm their answers. The Hope Squad advisor may be able to assess areas that members need help with at this point in the year.

Slide 3:

Say: Let’s pause and watch this video. This is a PSA created by community members of Severna Park, Maryland. Be prepared to share your thoughts with someone at the conclusion.

At the conclusion of the video

Say: Take a moment and turn to a fellow Hope Squad member. Share your reflections about the video

Debrief as a Hope Squad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT8lw1Rl-WM

Slide 4:

Say: You may have found yourself in conversations with students who are experiencing mental health challenges.

Guess What? EVERYONE experiences mental health challenges. They are a normal and expected part of our daily lives. For example,

You got assigned to do a speech in class somewhere? Did you feel anxious? Of course, you did, it’s normal to be nervous about speaking in front of people. But is it an anxiety disorder? Nope.

A mental health challenge is some type of emotional or behavioral challenge that anyone can experience. This is much different than a mental health disorder or illness. It’s different because a mental health disorder is characterized by a required number of criteria with intensity over a prolonged period of time. It will persist and undermine a person’s ability to function effectively. It also has to be diagnosed by a mental health professional

The reason we are talking about this is because Hope Squad students find themselves engaging other students who are experiencing mental health challenges as much (if not more) than mental health disorders.

QPR is effective in engaging with this type of student just as effectively as someone who is suicidal.

Slide 5:

Say: What do YOU know about QPR?

Allow time for discussion

Note: This is a review, and every student should know this. If not, read the following definition.

QPR is a technique used to engage someone who may be contemplating suicide. QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer and it represents the steps used in this process.

Slide 6:

Say: Privacy is one of those words that everyone comprehends. But let’s stop and talk about it a little more…

Privacy is essential to who we are as human beings.

1. It gives us a space to be ourselves without judgement,

2. Allows us to think freely without discrimination,

3. And is an important element of giving us control over who knows what about us.

In the area of suicide prevention, we need to remember how important privacy is to students if Hope Squad is going to be an effective tool in our school.

Let’s talk about these methods of communicating by using the illustration of the 3 buckets we discussed in a previous lesson. They are words, behaviors and situations.

Slide 7:

Say: Words can be a warning sign. Words can be 2 types. What are they?

Allow time for student responses

Answer: Direct and Indirect.

Say: What might be an example of a direct phrase someone might use to indicate they are thinking of suicide?

Allow time for student responses.

Possible answers:

• I’ve decided to kill myself

• I wish I were dead

• I’m going to commit suicide

• I’m going to end it all

Say: When the person is unsure if they want to communicate their thoughts, they may be tempted to use vague, or indirect language. Can anyone give an example of something that is indirect?

Allow time for student responses

Possible Answers:

• Who cares if I’m dead anyway?

• My family would be better off without me

• I won’t be around much longer

Slide 8:

Say: Behaviors are actions we do consciously or unconsciously. When someone is contemplating suicide they may demonstrate certain behaviors…who thinks they know of some?

Allow time for student responses

Possible Answers:

• Giving away prized possessions, displaying unusual anger, anxiety, depression or agitation.

• Acquiring a weapon or stockpiling pills, becoming suddenly interested in religion, recurring mood swings, increased substance abuse.

Slide 9:

Say: What can we say about this category?

Allow time for student responses

This last category includes situations that occur which may be out of the person’s control but can be overwhelming to manage. Finding these out may take additional questions or information gathering from sources other than the person.

Say: What might some of these situations or conditions be?

Allow time for student responses

Possible Answers:

Suspended or expelled from school • getting fired from a job • loss of a friend or family member, especially if by suicide • being bullied • family disruption • social humiliation • being victimized by a crime • rejection • sudden physical symptoms (sleep, menstrual, headaches)

Slide 10:

Q = Question, P = Persuade, R = Refer.

Say:

Step # 1 is to Question. In the same manner that people use direct or indirect language to communicate suicidal thinking, we can use either direct or indirect language when we asing a person if they are suicidal.

One indirect way of asking would be…

‘Have you been unhappy lately? “Do you ever wish you could go to sleep and never wake up?’

Ask the students for another indirect way of asking the question.

Say: How about a direct way of questioning?

Allow time for student responses

Possible Answers include:

• You look pretty miserable, I wonder if you are thinking about suicide? or

• Are you thinking of killing yourself?

Say: It’s important to be sensitive at this point. Avoid casting judgment with statements like You Aren’t Suicidal Are you? or You wouldn’t do something stupid would you?

Why are these less than effective ways of asking? (They appear condemning and may cause the person to avoid talking).

Say:

Step # 2 Persuade. If someone confides in you, the next step is to try and convince them to get help.

Patience is very important at this point; the individual doesn’t see suicide as the problem, they see it as a solution to a perceived problem.

Be Persistent and present – don’t give up if the person is unwilling to get help, be present with the person emotionally in that space. Offer hope in any way you see fit. Phrases like ‘I’m concerned about you’ or ‘Let’s go get help together’ or ‘Will you go with me to get help?’ may be the exact thing they need to concede getting help.

Say:

Step # 3 Refer. Your job as a Hope Squad member is to link this person to a professional who can help. The most effective way to refer is to walk the person directly to an advisor or school counselor. Please remember to avoid leaving the person alone. If you can’t do this for some reason, use your cell phone or ask someone to bring help.

(This may be a good time to review your school’s protocol for after hours referrals.)

Additional information to share if time allows:

You can expect that once you hand off the situation to the professional there may be a period of time where you don’t hear about the outcome. As a Hope Squad member, you are naturally caring and nurturing and it’s only normal for you to want to follow up with the student. If this doesn’t happen quickly don’t despair. Professionals are typically limited by privacy laws that prevent them from sharing any further information about the situation. This may be frustrating, but it is important to maintain privacy about the incident to preserve their dignity and allow for the best opportunity for the recovery of the individual.

Slide 11:

Divide your group in half, or in groups of 3-4. Explain that you are getting ready to do a group activity and solve a progressive role play to reinforce what you know about QPR.

The role play will have chapters to the story that the group will manage.

Have someone read the scene aloud.

Give the groups time to determine which answer choice is best. ALL group members must agree. If they can’t, allow them to talk about which answers they were considering and why.

Once all teams have reached a decision, share out answers. Then show the correct answer.

The idea here is to have meaningful conversations within the groups. Some of the scenes will have several answers that might be okay.

Slide 12:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 13:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 14:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 15:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 16:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 17:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 18:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 19:

Each slide will have the correct answer, and additional information will come up on click.

Take time to discuss these as you work through the additional scenes.

Slide 20:

Allow time for additional questions, comments, etc.

Say: As Hope Squad members, we encourage you to revisit your QPR skills on a regular basis. Becoming more familiar with how you would respond in any given situation on helps to prepare you if/when you find yourself in that position with a peer.