Fun FRIENDS

Prospective users

Aims & approach

Fun FRIENDS aims to build emotional resilience, social skills, and coping strategies in young children aged 3-7 through structured, play-based learning, across preschool and early primary school settings. The program uses evidence-based play-focused activities such as games, storytelling, creative tasks, and guided discussions to help children develop emotional awareness, problem-solving skills, and confidence to navigate early life challenges in a way that can be easily grasped, understood and practised in everyday life.

Children who complete Fun FRIENDS are expected to show improved emotional regulation, prosocial behaviours, stronger self-confidence, reduced emotional symptoms and total difficulties, and a smoother transition into school life. The program lays the foundation for lifelong mental wellbeing and resilience against future stress and anxiety.

Facilitators follow the FRIENDS curriculum sequence:

• Feelings: Recognising emotions through being aware of body cues.
• Relax: Practising relaxation techniques to manage intense emotions.
• I Can Try: Replacing negative self-talk with positive self-talk to build confidence.
• Explore: Applying step plans and problem-solving to set realistic goals and navigate challenges.
• Nice Work: Learning to acknowledge and celebrate efforts and successes.
• Don't Forget: Integrating skills into daily routines.
• Stay Brave: Encouraging students to seek help from trusted and supportive people when needed.

Fun FRIENDS consists of 12 sessions, each lasting approximately one hour. Sessions are typically delivered weekly, though the duration is flexible.

Allied health and educational professionals can deliver Fun FRIENDS after completing self-paced online training, which includes modules on theoretical frameworks, content structure, and adherence to the program sequence for effective delivery. After completing the training, facilitators receive a certificate and access to essential resources to support program preparation and help ensure a high-quality learning experience.

Parent/carer sessions are available before and during the student program introduce them to FRIENDS techniques, enabling them to support skill application beyond the school environment.

Implementation support

• Access to professional facilitator, instructor or mentor
• Implementation training webinars or modules
• Ongoing helpdesk, email or phone support
• Regular webinars or access to community of professional practice

Evidence

Fun FRIENDS is designed based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles, emphasising the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to enhance emotional well-being. It is also built around CASEL's five core social and emotional competencies, incorporating activities that enhance self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

The impact of the program is evidenced by evaluations across various geographical and cultural contexts, references for which include:

• Najmussaqib, A., Mushtaq, A., & Duncan, R. (2024). Effectiveness of Fun FRIENDS on social emotional functioning of Pakistani school children. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101675
• Hosokawa, R., Matsumoto, Y., Nishida, C., Funato, K., & Mitani, A. (2023). Evaluating the effectiveness of a social and emotional learning program among preschool children in Japan: an experimental cohort study. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 17, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00643-6
• Lewis, K. M., Barrett, P., Freitag, G., & Ollendick, T. H. (2023). An Ounce of Prevention: Building resilience and targeting anxiety in young children. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 28(2), 795-809. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045221121595

Positive feedback has also been provided in testimonials by participants that can be found at https://friendsresilience.org/testimonials.