Now in its ninth year, Project Peace will continue coaching Peace River students on positive mental health for at least three more years.
Coordinator Susan Gillespie says the program initially dealt with issues on more of an intervention basis in its early years, but has seen more success since moving to larger groups.
“When you’re working at a prevention level, the cost is much lower than it is when you’re working at a crisis level, so I think it’s excellent value for the money because of what it can keep from having happening in a person’s life.”
Success coaches are stationed in each local school to help students and families learn the tools to better cope with challenges.
In the past, funding from Alberta Health Services has been more than $300,000 a year and it was recently announced three more years will be supported.