What is Taught in the seminar?
Based upon the National Masonic Model, the Masonic Student Assistance Program (MSAP) had its' beginnings in Arizona in 1996. Sessions were held in the peaceful solitude of the beautiful pines of Prescott Arizona but due to the demand for more training sessions training is now being conducted in local areas. Phoenix, and Tucson are currently the main sites. We are working to develop sites in other areas that can support a class of 60 or more attendees The days are pretty well filled with session activities. All session costs, including trainers and food are paid for by the Arizona Masonic Foundation for Children.
Seminars emphasize hypothetical problem situations & development of hands-on solutions that are readily translated into everyday classroom settings. Once concepts are presented, participants roleplay, take part in activities, and work together to gain a better perspective of underlying issues and development of viable plans of action. After completing the the course, core teams use MSAP processes they have learned to develop stategies to help troubled children in their schools. Children may be referred to them or may come to their attention through personal contact. Teams gather information, complete necessary paperwork, and develop a school-based plan of action designed to address each childs needs. Educators often know how to identify children in pain, but are not certain what they can do or how they can help. Emphasis in MSAP training is that intervention is a process and not an event. MSAP training provides the knowledge and concepts needed to make a start. A child's pain has often taken years to develop, and may very well take considerable time and effort before any measure of success can be seen.
Among topics covered in the workshop are:
- Family dynamics
- Life Skills for K-12
- Enabling and codependency
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Depression
- Suicide
- Team work
- Group dynamics