Literature reviews on suicide prevention programs have presented conflicting results on the efficacy of school-based prevention programs. Gatekeeper training and peer helping are both recommended as part of a comprehensive school-based prevention program, yet there is no literary evidence of the systematic evaluation of gatekeeper training for peer helpers. This study evaluated the efficacy of such training with high school peer helpers using a repeated measures design. Significant gains in knowledge about suicide and skills for responding to suicidal peers were evident immediately after training and 3 months later. There was also a significant improvement in positive attitudes toward suicide intervention following training. Although there was no control group, the research offers tentative support for the efficacy of training peer helpers in suicide risk assessment and indicates the importance of additional training for peer helpers.
This article provides an overview of the NACP, as well as a summary of the competencies necessary for fully professional practice across the various settings in which child and youth care professionals work. Competencies for Professional Child and Youth Work Professionals, (Revised 2010), with a complete description of the project can be found at www.acycp.org or www.cyccb.org/competencies. This document is the result of many years of work by North American Child and Youth Care Professionals. Initial development was undertaken by the North American Certification Project (NACP) and, sponsored by the Association for Child and Youth Care Practice (ACYCP). The NACP arose from a broad opinion that North American certification for child and youth care practitioners was urgently needed. GuIDInG FOunDATIOnS OF THE PrOJECT The project was guided by the following description of the field and guiding principles. Description of the Child & Youth Care Field Professional child and youth care practice focuses on infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special needs, within the context of the family, the community, and the life span. The developmental ecological perspective emphasizes the interaction between persons and their physical and social environments, including cultural and political settings. Professional practitioners promote the optimal development of children, youth, and their families in a variety of settings, such as early care and education, commu
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