Building Emotional resilience Amanda Connor , Paula Baldwin and Dominic Crowhurst Education Support Behaviour and Attendance Service (ESBAS)

Aim To support young people with low level anxiety. To improve emotional resilience in students. To offer coping strategies, to re-engage pupils in school life.

What does the programme look like? 8 week programme – held in school The provision is for key stage four. The groups are separated for boys and girls. Maximum of 6 young people per group.

Programme content Session One - Information gathering on cohort of candidates for group work held with school representative Session Two – Pupil voice, emotional wellbeing web and team building – L.O - To be able to name ten thoughts, behaviours and physical symptoms related to their own anxiety. Session Three – Understanding resilience – L.O – To identify two of your own triggers and responses. Session Four– Exploring challenges within their peer groups – L.O – Understanding friendships and recognising positive qualities in each other.

Programme content Session Five – Triggers and self image – L.O – To be able to discuss emotional differences and responses in the group Session Six - Identifying emotional differences and responses – L.O. - To identify emotional words, to describe themselves. Session Seven– Coping strategies and mindfulness – L.O. – Identifying and naming strategies to support them in school life. Session Eight – Reflection, Review and Evaluation session

How we measured the success of the project Well-being web at the beginning of the project and at the final session. Pupil voice at the beginning of the project and at the final session. Weekly tutorials.

Well-being web

Well- being web categories I feel safe. * I am healthy. I am achieving.* I feel nurtured.* I feel active. I feel respected.* I feel responsible* I feel included.*

Pilot Scheme The designated school for the pilot project was The Causeway School. The evaluations reported back from the students were all positive. 90% of the students involved within the project demonstrated improvement on 6 out of the 8 the web scales. Feedback from the students illustrated that they felt “listened to”, “helpful” and “confident to share in a group”.

Student Feedback Feedback from the students illustrated that they felt - It helped because it makes you talk about things you wouldn’t usually. It helped me try and overcome and forget all the negatives. I wish I had this intervention earlier! Confident to share in a group

Feedback from the school. “There are still concerns, however, the strategies the students have been provided have been beneficial, they discuss any concerns before crisis point. They are able to filter and differentiate between a ‘big problem’ and what they can overcome by themselves”. “The students are able to discuss their low level anxiety, they are more confident in class and with their peers.”

Booking information Contact 01273 481967 The cost is 8 traded units. Esbas@eastsussex.gov.uk