Brighter Days is the new name for Rainbow Days, the Dallas-based nonprofit that has served children and youth facing adversity since 1982. Our mission, our programs, our team, and our approach are unchanged. The name is new; the work we have been doing for 45 years is the same.
The new name better reflects our core programming, and it symbolizes the bright futures that we are creating in children’s lives. Our new logo carries the same idea, with the sun rising on the horizon. At the start of every support group, we show participants an image of the sun and a cloud and invite them to look forward, toward their horizon, so they can imagine a bright and positive future. Our new name, Brighter Days is more closely connected to our programming and who we serve, helping children experiencing adversity envision positive futures.
The Curriculum-Based Support Group Program (CBSG®) is an evidence-based prevention program for universal, selective and indicated populations of children and youth. The CBSG® Program teaches coping, social and substance abuse prevention skills in a structured group process by a trained, caring facilitator. Classroom Connection is the CBSG adaptation for universal populations and Kids Connection, Youth Connection and Kids’ Connection, Too may be used with Selective and Indicated populations of children and youth.
Universal prevention programs (Classroom Connection) are designed for everyone in a group or population, regardless of risk level (for example, all students in a school).
Selective prevention programs (Kids Connection, Youth Connection & Kids’ Connection, Too) are designed for people or groups who are at higher risk of developing a problem due to certain factors or circumstances.
Indicated prevention programs (Kids Connection & Youth Connection) are designed for individuals who are already showing early signs or symptoms of a problem but do not yet meet criteria for a diagnosis.
The Brighter Days CBSG® Program may be implemented in a variety of settings, including schools, after-school programs, recreation centers, homeless shelters, group homes, outreach programs, churches, alternative schools, and juvenile detention centers.
Kids’ Connection and Youth Connection are implemented in small groups of 6-12 members. Ten sessions are offered for students in the selective population and 12 sessions are offered for the indicated population. Session duration is between 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Sessions are conducted either once or twice a week and all group sessions are held in private, youth-appropriate settings.
Kids Connection, Too is the adaptation most appropriate for shelters, group homes and transitional settings. Due to the transient nature of the population these are open groups where participants can join at any time. These groups are based on our five Major Messages, I AM, I CAN, I HAVE, I WILL and I BELIEVE. Sessions rotate through each message then begin again.
Classroom Connection is designed to use with students in the universal population and may have up to 25 students per class at one time. There are ten sessions which may be implemented in short segments throughout the school week or up to an hour at time.
Empirical studies show that the CBSG® Program reduces anti-social attitudes and rebellious behavior, increases anti-drug-use attitudes and intentions, reduces early substance use/experimentation, and increases coping and social skills.
All materials needed to implement the CBSG Program are provided through the CBSG® Program Facilitator Training. This training prepares participants to successfully implement the program and includes participant’s choice of one manual adaptation. Each adaptation, Kids’ Connection, Youth Connection, Kids’ Connection, Too, and Classroom Connection, includes all necessary information for successful implementation. Each manual includes a USB drive with all participant handouts and activity worksheets, which are available in both English and Spanish (except for Classroom Connection).
The CBSG® Program Facilitator’s Manuals are designed to be comprehensive, user-friendly, and easy to implement. Each manual includes reproducible participant handouts provided a USB. Facilitators are responsible for supplying basic art and craft materials, such as paper, crayons, markers, glue sticks, and similar items. Each activity lists required materials and a comprehensive list is also provided in the manual.
For Kids’ Connection, Youth Connection and Kids’ Connection, Too Open Enrollment trainings are held multiple times throughout the year. Please click here for training dates and registration links. Cost is $350 for a 4-hour virtual training and includes the adaptation manual of your choice.
We also offer a virtual contracted training option where we schedule a training on a specific date just for your team! We offer a 4-hour and 6-hour option for groups up to 15, this option also includes a manual for each participant. Please email us at training@brighterdaystx.org for more information and to inquire about scheduling a contracted training.
There is no training required for Classroom Connection. Please click here to purchase the Classroom Connection manual and access the informational webinar.
For Kids’ Connection, Youth Connection and Kids’ Connection, Too Open Enrollment trainings are held multiple times throughout the year. Please click here for training dates and registration links. Cost is $350 for a 4-hour virtual training and includes the adaptation manual of your choice.
We also offer a virtual contracted training option where we schedule a training on a specific date just for your team! We offer a 4-hour and 6-hour option for groups up to 15, this option also includes a manual for each participant. Please email us at training@brighterdaystx.org for more information and to inquire about scheduling a contracted training.
There is no training required for Classroom Connection. Please click here to purchase the Classroom Connection manual and access the informational webinar.
Glad you asked! We’ve had many lively discussions about this during trainings, and the short answer is no. You are welcome to use alternative names for this opening activity. Below are some different ideas that have been shared with us.
Whichever name you choose, it is important to make it consistent so your group participants know what to expect when you ask them to share something each session. And just a reminder during this opening activity each group member is asked to share a “sunshine”, something that makes them feel happy, excited, and or proud and a “cloud”, something that they are experiencing that makes them feel sad, mad or anxious. This great check-in activity is a good reminder that no one experiences only “sunshines” or only “clouds”, and that life is a mixture of both.
Reminders are always needed! CBSG® Program is the registered name for our Curriculum-Based Support Group. It is the collective name for our four adaptations, which are: Kids’ Connection, Youth Connection, Kids’ Connection, Too, and Classroom Connection.
Absolutely not! Feel free to use your agency name when implementing the program. The only place you MUST use the developer’s name, Brighter Days, or the actual name of the program (CBSG® Program, Kids’ Connection, Youth Connection, Kids’ Connection, Too, or Classroom Connection) is in your funding material.
Yes and no. The printed manuals are currently only available in English, but all participant handouts and activity documents are available in both English and Spanish (except for Classroom Connection) on the USB drive which accompanies each manual.
The CBSG® Program Facilitator Training prepares prevention educators, school counselors and other youth service professionals and volunteers to fully implement Rainbow Days’ CBSG® Program with fidelity.
Training content includes:
For information on training costs, please click here.