Supportive Friendships Workshop
The value in a child or teenager learning how to be a supportive friend cannot be understated. We all know how tough it can be growing up in a competitive school environment and social media and mobile technology have added a new dimension to the challenge.
By supporting one another, young people can avoid some of the pitfalls of growing up such as peer pressure, bullying and getting involved with crime and antisocial behaviour. Even having just one person who knows how to be a supportive friend can make the journey that much more enjoyable – and will have a positive impact on academic achievement.
Introducing 2020 Dreams ‘How to be a Supportive Friend’ Workshops
2020 Dreams ‘How to be a Supportive Friend‘ workshops introduce young people to a suite of skills that can be deployed to build and maintain long-lasting friendships with one another.
Some of these skills are taken for granted by more emotionally developed youngsters but can be a blindspot to others who may struggle to make those valuable connections.
Some of these friendship skills include:
- Effective listening skills
- Support against peer pressure
- Knowing when to talk and when to be silent
- Asking sensitive questions when a friend is upset
- Empathising
- Giving opinions without judging
- Providing encouragement and distractions
- Being honest without being hurtful
- Staying connected
- Dealing with envy and competition
- The importance of giving and taking in friendship
- Developing a mature attitude
As with all 2020 Dreams PSHE workshops, students are not simply given a talk and some handouts.
Practising and Debating How to Be a Supportive Friend
There is a big difference between being told how to be a supportive friend and putting those principles into action. That is why 2020 Dreams make use of two powerful and proven methods of engaging with young people and embedding their newly-learned skills into their lives.
First, our scenario-based role-playing activities present children with the opportunity to practise their friendship skills. They may be required to find out what is wrong with a friend by asking sensitive questions, to give a friend an honest answer to a difficult question without hurting their feelings or to support a friend who is under pressure from their peers.
Our sensitive facilitators will ensure that students will be challenged but not overawed by the scenarios presented to them.
Second, our skilled facilitators organise student-centred open forum discussions to enable young people to talk about their ideas and experiences, to come up with questions and supply answers.
Rather than deliver a generic course that will be forgotten shortly afterwards, 2020 Dreams specialise in truly collaborative workshops that have a lasting impact on young people, their school experience and their home life.
Why Choose a 2020 Dreams PSHE Workshop?
On top of our unique workshop formula, which can be customised to suit your specific school or institution, 2020 Dreams have the experience to know what schools (or charities, PRUs, youth centres, etc.) really need from a PSHE workshop.
The quality and credentials of our DBS-checked facilitators are the keys to our success as they have proven ability to both masters their subject matter and to provide a dynamic, participatory environment in which students feel both energised and comfortable.
All 2020 Dreams workshops are fully risk-assessed and insured for complete peace of mind. We have provided workshops for the BBC, Ministry of Defence and Prince’s Trust and are able to travel anywhere in the UK to meet your needs.
For more information, call free on 0800 471 4983 or email hello@2020Dreams.org.uk.
