Reasons to consider utilizing the Lions Quest programmes.

Benefits to young people

· Teaches the skills to take responsibility for own life, and provides the opportunities to practice those skills.

· Builds coping and communication skills.

· Builds the skills to resist negative peer pressure.

· Learn how to make healthy, positive decisions.

· Provides ongoing interaction with caring adults.

· Offers exposure to positive role models.

Benefits to communities

· A united and focused effort by families, school, and local community members in support of young people.

· Positive action in reducing young people's involvement in drinking, drugs and violence.

· Improved learning environment in local schools.

· Increased involvement of young people in community service and volunteerism.

Benefits to schools

· A vehicle so teach and apply many of the curriculum’s - essential skills

· An effective means of meeting many of the health and physical education, and social studies curriculum objectives.

· Develop a caring, positive classroom, and school climate where learning is nurtured.

· Recruit parents and community members as proactive partners in children's education.

· Provide students with the specific skills to resist negative peer pressure to use alcohol and other drugs, and encourage them to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

· Use community service to instill in students a sense of responsibility and respect for others.

· Students develop an appreciation of diversity.

· Provide students with communication tools, and techniques to resolve conflicts in fair, nonviolent ways.

What does Lions Quest do for the adults who guide, support or work with young people?

The training offers the possibility of the following results:-

· inspire and rejuvenate teacher's attitude towards teaching, and the impact they may have on young people's lives.

· offer the opportunity to reflect on their teaching practices and give them another way of approaching their work and their teaching styles. ( some have said that they and their colleagues have been "turned right around" by the training, to be much more effective teachers.)

· change the way they relate to all people, and in particular to the other staff in their school. They felt more positive and open, and supportive of people.

· gave them the impetus to go and implement the programmes with enthusiasm and commitment.

· brought the staff of their school together in a new way, and had made a very positive impact on their relationships and teamwork - (closer, more supportive and more honest with each other).

Young people learn much from the example of the adults around them. It is important that the school staff and all the adults in the lives of these young people demonstrate in the normal ebb and flow of everyday life, the skills and attitudes that they want the young people to learn and practice.

The two day training workshop, offers teachers/adults preparation for the use of the “LQ” resources and within the training, the opportunity to pause to reflect, and to consider the nature of, and the consistency of the messages given to young people. This can be revealing, challenging, and affirming for those involved.

What follows is a more informed choice of action to move forward with, and renewed energy to carry it through.

The material resources that teachers/adults receive during the training enable them to put decisions into action – action that sees students learning and practicing relevant life skills.