Samaritans
Things on your mind?

Welcome to DEAL

Developing Emotional Awareness and Learning

 

Samaritans DEAL (Developing Emotional Awareness and Learning) programme helps schools develop the skills that young people aged 14-16 need to cope with life's challenges and develop their emotional health and wellbeing.

The resources aim to help students to develop an understanding of the meaning of the term ‘emotional health’ as it relates to them, and their friends/family/peers. The lessons also seek to help students to identify coping strategies for stressful or difficult situations they may face, and to reflect on the positive and negative consequences their choices could have.

Flexibility

Screenshot from DEALDEAL can be taught as part of a lesson on a range of subjects, including English literature, drama, RE and geography. Samaritans has developed DEAL so that emotional health is seen as relevant to learning generally, rather than any one specific area of the curriculum, reflecting the fact that emotional health-related skills are important to all parts of life.

DEAL materials are designed not just for use by PSHE specialists, but also by generalist teachers like form tutors or pastoral staff, and can be used as a series of lessons or as part of a collapsed curriculum day.

The materials cater for different learning styles, and are based on a facilitative style of teaching, which encourages pupils to express and develop their own ideas and ways of thinking about the issues in question.

Danny McNamara

Dealing with emotional stress

In this mp3 audio download, celebrity supporter Danny McNamara of Embrace discusses how he dealt with emotional stress. Also featuring Tonja Schmidt, Development Co-ordinator at Samaritans, introducing DEAL, and Zia Forrai, a 17-year-old student.

 

 

If the audio file above does not work, you can download the mp3

More information

Every secondary school in the UK and ROI received a copy of the DEAL resources as part of the launch in October 2006. For a limited time a free copy of the DEAL electronic pack (containing a CD-ROM with the teaching materials and DVD) is available to people who will be using the materials directly with young people or with schools. This is limited to one copy per organisation. To request a copy please email schools@samaritans.org

Free lesson plans and resources

DEAL feedback

National Curriculum links

Give your views on DEAL

For more information, contact:

Amanda Edmondson,
Schools Consultation Officer,
a.edmondson@samaritans.org

Samaritans has 202 branches across the UK and Ireland and your local branch may be able to support your staff in delivering DEAL, or visit the school to talk about Samaritans. However, it does depend on volunteers being available and will vary from region to region. Find your local branch