Ms.Byrne is doing the FRIENDS for Life Programme with 3rd Class and 5th Class this week. They really enjoyed it and it gave the children loads of opportunities to discuss different areas of their own wellbeing. This programme will be going on in each of the classes for 1 hour a week for the next 10 weeks.

The ‘FRIENDS for Life’ programme is a school-based positive mental health programme. The World Health Organisation cites ‘FRIENDS for Life’ as the only evidence-based programme effective at all levels of intervention for anxiety in children (WHO 2004). The programme helps students to develop effective strategies to deal with worry, stress and change and teaches the skills required to reduce anxiety and promote resilience. It is beneficial for all students, irrespective of their anxiety level. Teachers can run the programme as a whole school anxiety prevention programme, as a whole class or small group intervention or with an individual student.