Friends for Life

For Children aged 8 to 9

Proven Anxiety Prevention
Recognized by World Health Organization
Social and Emotional Skills Training
Embracing Cultural Diversity

An interactive curriculum that helps children develop coping skills, emotional regulation, and problem-solving through engaging, age-appropriate activities. It fosters empathy, resilience, and peer connections, leading to improved emotional control, social awareness, and positive self-talk.

The FRIENDS Acronym

To help participants remember the key concepts and bring structure to sessions, the program uses the FRIENDS acronym:

F

Feelings

Understand your feelings. Show empathy to others

R

Relax

Have quiet time. Focus on the present.

I

Inner
thoughts

Change unhelpful to helpful thinking.

E

Explore
solutions

Learn to find solutions to challenges. Think of consequences.

N

Now
rewards

Try your best and be happy with your efforts.

D

Do it every
day

Use your coping skills in challenging situations.

S

Stay
Strong

Share your skills with your family and community.

Discover the new Friends for Life animated book

Explore the interactive Friends for Life animated book, created for use at home.

Explore

Helping Children Overcome Anxiety

Anxiety affects over 20% of children in this age group. If left unaddressed, it can severely impact development and even create challenges later in life. Children may worry excessively about things like homework, social gatherings, or even distant events such as natural disasters.

What Children Learn

  • Cope with their own emotions and understand others’ feelings
  • Develop positive thinking, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills
  • Build confidence and self-esteem
  • Embrace happiness, bravery, and smooth transitions into adolescence

Flexible Program Delivery

The program can be adapted to suit schools and families, as long as:
  • 1 Facilitators have first been trained in the program/s being delivered.
  • 2 The sequence and structure of the program/s is followed.
  • 3 Each participant receives his or her own private book, which can be used to review the skills practiced, during delivery of the programs. For example, at home with parents, carers, siblings or extended family.

Delivery Mode Options

The following modes of delivery can be adapted to suit participants and school curriculum, each equally effective.
  • 1.5 hour weekly sessions over a single school term (preferably term 2 or 3)
  • 45 minutes weekly sessions over the course of 2 school terms (preferably terms 2 and 3);
  • 15 minutes daily sessions (after morning tea), where the same activity is repeated daily for a few weeks, using new examples until the skills become second nature;
  • School holiday programs (2 hours across 5 days)
  • Weekend intensives - over 2-3 full days

Become a licensed partner

If you would like to become a Licensed Partner or for any other enquiry, please contact us: licensing@friendsresilience.org
Enquire Now!