Sources of Strength

About the program

The Sources of Strength model is simple: supportive adults empowering diverse peer leaders using strategic messaging campaigns to promote a positive culture change in the school. It is a suicide prevention program that’s life-giving and fun; it asks the question what are the leading causes of life?

Sources of Strength is an upstream, strengths-based prevention program designed to build protective factors and reduce the likelihood that vulnerable youth will become suicidal. Students who are trained in Sources of Strength are 4 times more likely to refer a peer to a safe adult.

What does this program do?

It promotes 8 critical protective factors that are linked to overall wellness and reduced risk of suicide:

  • Family Support

  • Positive Friends

  • Mentors

  • Healthy Activities

  • Generosity

  • Spirituality

  • Physical Health

  • Mental Health

The program activities aim to reduce the acceptability of suicide as a response to distress, increase the acceptability of seeking help, improve communication between youth and adults, and help develop healthy coping attitudes among youth.

How does it work?

Sources of Strength trains students as peer leaders and connects them with adult advisors at school and in the community. Advisors support the peer leaders in conducting well-defined messaging activities that aim to change peer group norms by influencing coping practices and problem behaviors. The program is also designed to positively modify the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of the peer leaders themselves.

Schedule

September 19th - Kick Off
6:00pm-9:00 pm
All students are invited along with at least 1 sponsor

October 3rd - County Meeting
6:00pm-9:00 pm
1-2 student representatives from each chapter

January 9th - County Meeting
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
1-2 student representatives from each chapter

March 20th - County Meeting
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
1-2 student representatives from each chapter

May 1st - End of Year Celebration
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
All students are invited along with at least 1 sponsor

Schools implementing Sources of Strength

Lawrence High School

Free State High School

Perry-Lecompton High School

Billy Mills Middle School

Eudora High School

Download the toolkit

To find out more information on the Sources of Strength program, send us a message below.

For more information contact edc@dccca.org.