Peer Specialist Training in Second Life®

GUIDING LIGHTS

January 2010 Update

We've moved!
Our location is now on Wellness Island, with an entire
bookshelf of peer support materials in our library - come by for a visit!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wellness%20Island/178/58/26

Next class to be announced soon!

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GUIDING LIGHTS is a Group in Second Life which offers support, training, and networking for anyone interested
in providing Peer Support services to other SL residents.

We conduct monthly trainings in the essentials of helping others. Guiding Lights offers highly qualified instructors and a comprehensive curriculum of introductory helping skills, with a development team led by Avalon Birke, M.A., a RL Board Certified Family Therapist who is also a credentialed college instructor and published author in her First Life.

Guiding Lights are here to help others in SL who seek emotional support.
Guiding Lights are not professional counselors, but volunteers here to shine a light on your path in SL, listening, supporting,
bridging you with RL resources when needed.

Course information:

Classes are generally held once a month in the Auditorium on Wellness Island. Class length is 60- 90 minutes, with ample time for
questions, discussion, and practice. Topics will include introduction to helping skills, law and ethics, active listening, theories of counseling, group theory, crisis intervention, boundaries, special populations, and self care. We bring in guest lecturers, all RL and SL qualified, and our students themselves are some of the very best resources as well.

There is no charge for this training, but attendance is limited to Group members and an application is required.
Group members may repeat classes as often as they like, and the program can be started any time.

Application forms are available at our in-world location on Wellness Island

QUESTIONS

Is this a new project?
No. The Open Gates Peer Support Community began offering peer support training years ago. Last year they partnered with Wellness Island for some of the workshops. These workshops were well-attended and productive for participants. Since the two groups were committed to continuing this successful program, they decided to give it a name and make a Group for easier communication. In October 2009 Open Gates went on to other projects, but Guiding Lights trainings continued, sponsored at this time by Wellness Island.

What experience is required to join Guiding Lights?
None. We ask that you just bring an open mind and willing attitude, along with a commitment to professional behavior even in a volunteer environment. We have a Code of Ethics that stresses confidentiality, responsible decision-making, and other common sense guidelines.

What else do you offer besides the monthly trainings?
We offer a helpful library of notecards on helping skills, crisis intervention, and more. We are here for our students in-world to provide support as needed as they develop helping skills and use them. Guiding Lights also plans to offer weekly "groups" for our students to practice, with each other and invited guests, how to run a support group on common topics such as Anger Management, Stress Reduction, and more.

What about RL certification for professionals?
We don't provide RL certification, although tools like listening skills and problem-solving can be used in any environment. Guiding Lights trainings are designed for peer supporters. Some similar groups designed for RL professionals are the Mental Health Network, Health Education Consultants, SLHealthy, and The Health Support Coalition. All can be found in SL Search.

What other groups are collaborating on this project?
Our students come from a variety of Groups throughout SL, and occasionally they will ask us to work with them in some way. More often they bring their own area of expertise to the table. The courses are very interactive and students participate in discussions. We are open to working with just about any Group in SL if asked, and happy to talk to any qualified people about becoming a guest lecturer. Our goal is that each student can take what they learn back to his or her own groups and expand the idea of peer support even more within Second Life.

Where are you located in Second Life?

Here: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wellness%20Island/178/58/26