Overview
A confluence of events has put new emphasis on the role that schools play in not only the academic but also the social, emotional and mental health of its students. Safe and supportive schools are a crucial protective factor for youth, and districts are more focused than ever on upskilling their communities of support to foster environments where students thrive.
Friend2Friend: Safe & Caring Schools is an experiential learning program designed to foster safer schools through awareness and support for others. Students will learn how to recognize behaviors of concern in a friend or classmate, practice talking with a friend in distress and explore ways to safely report any concerns. Students have access to customized national, local, and school-specific resources in addition to simulation content.
The goal of Friend2Friend: Safe & Caring Schools is to reduce school violence through recognition of concerning behaviors and open communication between students and adults.
Learning objectives:
- Identify own emotions and those of others as they relate to concerns including bullying, harassment, self-harm, and threats
- Recognize when a peer's actions or statements need to be shared with adults
- Investigate ways to encourage a peer in distress to open up to an adult
- Recognize role in creating a safe and supportive school climate
- Feel comfortable and empowered to share concerns with an adult
- Understand potential resources and the roles of trusted adults
CASEL Competency Alignment:
Social Awareness & Relationship Skills - strengthen communication and healthy relationship skills
- Demonstrate empathy and support help-seeking
- Identify own emotions and those of others
Self-Management & Self-Awareness Skills - develop strategies for managing stress and making healthy decisions
- Identify and use resources of family, school community
Responsible Decision-Making - grow critical thinking skills
- Anticipate and evaluate the consequences of actions
- Identify solutions to personal and social problems
Skills:
- Help-seeking skills
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Empathy and active listening skills
Friend2Friend methodology has been determined to be evidence-based in peer-reviewed studies. Research shows that with experiential practice, increased emotional engagement and reflective thinking leads to stronger self-efficacy and behavior change.
Mental wellness professionals, psychologists, and social workers contributed to the simulation content.
Students receive customized feedback based on their in-simulation choices.
The simulation is available online 24/7. Users are asked to complete pre-, post-, and 3-month follow up surveys to assess changes in skills. Attitudes, and behavior. Upon completion, users receive a certificate of completion. Clients have access to usage reports and evaluation data via the Kognito client portal.
Download the PK-12 Catalog
View our full catalog of simulations created to improve PK-12 communities.