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Friends Resilience

Kids and Teens in the Valley

Friends Resilience (also known by Boy Resilience, Girls Resilience or Grounded Kids) is an 8-week program delivered in schools to build emotional strength, confidence, and coping skills in young people.

  • Tas

Pricing: Free

Origin: Developed in Australia for Australian schooling contexts

Affiliations: Department of Social Services Communities for Children funded

Product type: Program; Activity sheets; Student activities; Learning modules; Class lesson plans

Contact details

Kids and Teens in the Valley
ABN: 64 816 030 697

https://kidsinthevalley.com.au/in-school-support/

info@kidsinthevalley.com.au

Focus areas

  • Positive relationships

  • Belonging and inclusion

  • Bullying and cyber-bullying

  • Mental health literacy and life skills

  • Self-regulation and engagement

  • Resilience and optimism

  • Self-esteem and body image

  • Respectful relationships and consent education

Curriculum alignment

  • Health and PE

Prospective users

Audience: Targeted small group early intervention (Tier 2)

Communities: Diverse cultures or language groups, First Nations, Neurodiversity or disability, Rainbow and LGBTQIA+

Context: School or centre-based

Main beneficiaries: Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8

Delivery style: Delivered by program staff

Aims & approach

The program aims to build emotional resilience, confidence, and practical coping skills in young people.

Using a strengths-based, cognitive-behavioural approach, it combines guided discussions with hands-on, engaging activities and guided journaling, teaching students practical strategies to manage anxiety, build resilience, and develop a positive mindset for school and life.

The program is delived in-person by expert facilitators. Students take part in creative tasks and reflection using their personal journal, promoting self-awareness, emotional regulation, and a positive mindset in a supportive group setting.

Designed with flexibility in mind, the program has been adapted to meet the needs of students who may be disengaged from learning or navigating a range of underlying issues. These may include anxiety, anger, low motivation, peer difficulties, or the impact of personal or family crisis, including mental health concerns, financial stress, or unstable home environments.

Implementation support

  • Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor

Evidence

The Kids Resilience Program is grounded in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), positive psychology, and social-emotional learning principles. It supports students to build emotional literacy, develop self-awareness, and learn practical strategies to cope with life's challenges. The program fosters understanding of emotions and thoughts, empowering young people to respond rather than react.

The impact of the program is supported by positive feedback from parents, school educators and students who have participated in the program.