Testimonials
"The Friendship Saver Program was the perfect fit for our grade 2 girls. I ran the program once a week (1 hour session) with five grade 2 girls. The girls looked forward to attending all the sessions because it was their job to teach the other girls in grade 2 'How to be a good friend'. After each session, the girls reported back to their class about what they had learnt and also brought back something visual (that they had made) to their classroom (e.g. a poster) so that the teacher and students could refer back to it when needed. The specialist teachers (e.g. sports teacher) found incoprorating some of the elements of 'The Friendship Saver Program' into their lessons to be useful. The knowledge and consistent use of the strategies in the school made the entire concept come alive across the year level."
- Felicity Colan, Speech Therapist, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
"The Friendship Saver Program is a very engaging, thought provoking and fun program for primary school-aged students! The social and emotional skills taught within the program are essential for girls and assist them to better regulate their own reactions and feelings when friendship issues arise. Our Year 3 students loved the activities within the program, especially the role plays. I would recommend The Friendship Saver Program to teachers and school psychologists as a universal program that assists girls to gain skills in communication, emotional intellignece and conflict resolution."
- Ms Clare Ivens, College Psychologist, Genazzano FCJ College
"Our girls at the Junior School have loved participating in The Friendship Saver Program (FSP). They were highly engaged in the sessions and participated enthusiastically. The program has given our students, teachers, counsellors and parents a shared langauge and terminology and some extremely useful strategies and skills. These skills and strategies can be used in their day to day relationships, in resolving friendship problems and in developing resilience. Some of the concepts have also been used in individual sessions both with Junior and Senior girls, particularly 'Problem Solving', 'The Onion of Friendship' and 'Whole Body Listening'. Connie's training sessions were fun and interactive and the manual is clear and easy to follow. Connie has always made herself available for further queries and promptly responded to phone calls or emails when extra guidance or advice was needed. We have no hesitation recommending Connie and The Friendship Saver Program to all other schools."
- Paula Kolivas and Beth Sarlos, School Counsellors, Camberwell Girls' Grammar School
"The Friendship Saver Program is an interactive, enlightening, practical and enjoyable way for young students to learn how to make and keep friends. The students are able to generate individual questions and brainstorm ideas as a group to problem solve friendship scenarios that are relevant to them. Students, teachers and parents all find the program to be extremely valuable. I look forward to running Connie's program again next year. "
- Mrs Lisa McNeil, School Counsellor Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney
"As a teacher, I found The Friendship Saver Programme to be useful in many ways. It provided me with specific, non-threatening vocabulary to use with my students when friendship issues arose. It also gave me practical strategies to use in the playground and in the classroom in terms of how to help the girls sort issues out themselves, rather than seeking adult help straight away. The visual cues were particularly useful, as were the role plays."
- Class Teacher Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney