Help Me Help Them!

This year I have been asked to teach Life Skills to Grade 9 and 10. I am hoping to integrate the following program into this course. It is called Hero books and it has been used widely throughout South Africa. It is meant to empower individual children and families as well as entire communities. A Hero Book is a document, and a process, in which a child is invited to be the author, illustrator, main character, and editor of a book that is designed to help them set goals, and give them power over a specific challenge or obstacle in their life. At the end of the process each person has a hand-bound storybook of their own making which is a kind of solution focused mission statement but also documents, heralds, and reinforces their problem busting strategies and hero-survival-resilient abilities. The first draft of a Hero Book is made purely as part of a confidential therapeutic process and is explained to the participant as such. Participants are however offered the opportunity to think about “publishing” their Hero Book by hand-making or photocopying second editions. If you want to read more about Hero Books, check out the website: www.repssi.org then click on the Hero Book link on the left side.

I am hoping you might be willing to send much needed supplies so the children may be able to create a book. I appreciate all the personal things I have been getting, but I would love for you to consider sending items from this list instead. Email me with any questions.

Copier Paper
Lined Paper
Construction Paper (colors)
Pens
Pencils
Sharpeners
Markers
Colored Pencils
Glue
Packing Tape
Paint
Paint Brushes
Nails
Hammer
Paperclips
String/Yarn
Sewing Needles