The Young People's Beginning Experience (YPBE) is a structured weekend programme designed to help young people from the ages of 12 upwards understand, process and work through their feelings and problems that can result from parental loss through death, divorce or separation.
Its origins lie in the Beginning Experience, a peer grief resoluiton ministry, for the widowed, separated and divorced.
The Young People's Beginning Experience is open to young people from the age of 12 who have lost a parent through death, divorce of separation. Many young people will be reluctant to risk such a different weekend experience, despite the value adults may see in the programme. Each young person should choose to come to the weekend, and personal contact with team members prior to the weekend has been found most useful in helping young people make an informed choice about what the weekend may offer them.
A telephone interview process has been established for both parent and child. The purpose of the interview is two-fold. First, parent and child become acquainted with an adult team member and have an opportunity to gain detailed information about the weekend. Second, team members get to know the applicant and evaluate the appropriateness of the weekend experience for him or her. After this interview, a teenage team member may also contact each applicant to become acquainted before the weekend.
The Young People's Beginning Experience takes place from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. It consists of a series of audio-visual presentations, personal talks, and structured activities all of which are desired to focus on the realities of personal development, loss, family and community, and a relationship with God.
The team responsible for presenting the weekend is comprised of both adults and teens who are trained in every aspect of the programme. The team guides the presentations, small and large group discussion, recreational activities, and provides constant personal support for the young people.
The flow of the weekend develops self-awareness and self-confidence in the participants. It enables young people to experience a sense of uniqueness and importance. At the same time, it shows that anger, sadness, guilt and fear are not unique but are shared by others and can be safely discussed. The young people are thus enabled to re-evaluate themselves and their family and see both in a more positive light. They are also able to learn a new way to deal with feelings and problems that they will encounter throughout their lives. Honesty, open caring and sharing - that's what the Young People's Beginning Experience is all about.
The Young People's Beginning Experience is an outgrowth of The Beginning Experience, a renewal programme for adults dealing with the losses of divorce, separation or widowhood. Developed at the Renewal Centre of North Texas in 1974, the Beginning Experience has become a major worldwide ministry to divorced, separated and widowed persons.
As the Beginning Experience became firmly established, the need for a programme to help children became increasingly evident. The Board of Directors, of the Beginning Experience, comprised of Suzanne and Gerald Jeansonne, who have been involved in the design of the adult programme and a clinical psychologist then headed a committee which developed the Young People's Beginning Experience.
In Apri1 1992, the Derry Young People's Beginning Experience Team commenced the WHO AM I NOW, (W.A.I.N.) Programme for young people suffering parental loss through death, divorce or separation.
The Programme, consisting of six weekly sessions of two hours duration, is intended to help teenagers identify and share feelings that result from the death or divorce of their parents and help them begin accepting that their family has permanently changed.
Even if professional help has been a part of their adjustment period, peer support has its own power to heal.
Derry held its first Young People's Beginning Experience weekend in January 1995. Many special friends have been made and teenagers are encouraged to work through their grief in a relaxed, non-threatening residential environment.
We are a non-profit organisation made up of kind, caring and understanding adults and young people who volunteer their time and experience to help others and themselves.Scotland
Since 1997, a number of people, both teen and adult have travelled over from Scotland to Derry to participate in and to present weekends. As a result of these continued links over a number of years, it was then decided to host a first weekend in Scotland in March 2003. The presenting team travelled over from Derry to present the wekend.
Since September 2004, YPBE Scotland has been set up as an emerging team in its own right.
The first weekend in Scotland took place on Friday 14 March - Sunday 16 March, 2003 at Craig Lodge, Dalmally with 21 particiapants.
The second weekend with 9 participants took place from 14 - 16 November, 2003 in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow
The third (3) weekend with 11 participants took place from 5 - 7 March, 2004 in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow
The following weekend (4) with 12 participants took place from 18th - 20th February 2005, also in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow
The next weekend (5) with 6 participants took place from 14th - 16th October 2005, also in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow
The 6th weekend with 11 participants took place in Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, (Click for map) Glasgow from 24th - 26th February, 2006.
The following weekend (7) with 8 participants took place in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow in February 2007.
The following weekend (8) with 4 participants took place in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow from Nov 23rd - 25th, 2007.
The following weekend (9) with 5 participants took place in the Georgian Hotel in Coatbridge, near Glasgow, from 25th - 27th April 2008.
Continued Beginnings
Continued Beginnings - a series of 4 follow-up sessions held once a week just after the weekend.
Future Weekends
The next weekend (10) is planned for October 31 - November 2, 2008 in Scotus College, Bearsden, Glasgow.
For more information, contact Michael O'Sullivan
Fundraising:
YPBE is a non-profit making orgainsation and we are always interested in ideas for fund-raising. If you have any ideas, please coctact us.
Previous fundraisng events: