Building Emotional Resilience in Schools: A Look at the Friends Resilience Programme
At Alliance Psychological Services, we’re passionate about empowering children to understand and manage their emotions. One way we’re doing this is through the Friends Resilience Programme, a hands-on initiative that’s helping children build emotional resilience and develop lifelong skills for managing stress and maintaining a positive mindset.
Recently, Hannah, one of our amazing Education Mental Health Practitioners had the opportunity to deliver this programme at St Aidan’s C of E Primary School in Hartlepool, and the experience has been nothing short of inspiring.
What is the Friends Resilience Programme?
At its core, the Friends Resilience Programme is all about giving children the tools to navigate their emotions and face challenges with confidence. It’s practical, engaging, and rooted in the belief that understanding your feelings is the first step toward emotional well-being.
Through interactive activities, students learn to:
• Identify Red and Green Thoughts: Understanding the difference between helpful and unhelpful thinking and learning how to shift toward positivity.
• Recognise Body Clues: Spotting physical signs of emotions (like a racing heart) to better handle feelings like anxiety or anger.
• Practice Breathing and Grounding Techniques: Using calming exercises to find balance in moments of stress.
Bringing Resilience to Life at St Aidan’s
What made the sessions at St Aidan’s so special was the enthusiasm from both students and staff. Everyone jumped right in, exploring ways to weave these techniques into everyday school life.
One of the standout moments was the poster competition during the final session. The students created colourful and creative posters that reflected their understanding of what they’d learned—everything from how to recognise unhelpful thoughts to using breathing exercises to stay calm. Not only was it a fantastic way to reinforce the skills they’d been taught, but it also gave the children a chance to express themselves.
The posters were so insightful that teachers have started using them as visual reminders in classrooms, keeping those resilience-building tools front and centre.
A Whole-School Impact
The beauty of the Friends Resilience Programme is its ripple effect. It’s not just about individual students—it’s about creating a culture of emotional well-being throughout the school. At St Aidan’s, teachers have already begun incorporating the techniques into daily lessons, making resilience a part of everyday life.
At Lynnfield Primary School, we took a slightly different approach, tailoring the programme to a smaller group of students. The feedback was fantastic, and teachers there added their own twist to make the sessions even more relevant for their school community.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise—it’s about real change. Through the Friends Resilience Programme, we’ve seen:
• Children gaining confidence in managing emotions and navigating challenges.
• Teachers feeling empowered to continue supporting mental health in classrooms.
• Schools adopting a Whole-School Approach that puts well-being at the heart of education.
Looking Ahead
We’re so proud of the impact the Friends Resilience Programme is having. Moving forward, we’re excited to continue working with schools to help children thrive emotionally and academically. Every child deserves to feel heard, supported, and resilient—and we’re committed to making that happen.
If you’d like to learn more about how the Friends Resilience Programme could benefit your school, get in touch! Let’s build a brighter, more resilient future together. Contact us on 01642 352747 (Option 2), or email cypfamilies@alliancepsychology.com.
