Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relationship Skills (PEERS®) is an evidence-based, social skills training intervention for youth. It is designed for motivated youth interested in learning ways to help them make and keep friends. They are taught essential social skills such as conversational skills, maintaining friendships, using humour appropriately, and handling disagreements. Teens have an opportunity to practice these skills through role-playing and other activities.  

16 sessions of 1 hour, for both teens and parents. As this is a very lengthy program, it will be split into two parts to allow teens to practice skills over the summer.

Teens will learn how to:

• Use appropriate conversational skills

• Use humour appropriately

• Use electronic communication

• Enter & exit conversations

• Be a good host during get-togethers

• Be a good sport

• Handle arguments and disagreements

• Change a bad reputation

• Handle rumors and gossip

• Handle rejection, teasing, and bullying

Time for a Playdate is a 12-session program using video modelling, games, activities, and practice to support with developing skills used during playdates.  Several contexts are used to support generalization. The sessions will focus on the following skills;

• Greet Friend

• Share

• Guest Chooses

• Stay with Friend 

• Losing is OK

• Talk on Topic

• Answer

• Take Turns

• Play His Way

• Eye Contact

• Clean Up

• Say Goodbye

Children’s Friendship Training (CFT) is a social skills intervention in which participants will learn and practice foundational social skills, through a variety of engaging and fun activities.  CFT is an evidence-based, group-format, parent-assisted social skills intervention for children. 

This training is geared towards motivated children who are interested in learning ways to help them make and keep friends. During each group session, children are taught crucial social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills in session during role-play and play activities (e.g. sports, board games, etc.). Parents are taught how to assist their children in making and keeping friends by providing feedback through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments designed to build on skills practiced in the sessions. 

Topics Covered:

• How to ‘play detective’ to find common interests

• How to join a group of kids at play

• How to handle rejection, teasing, and bullying

• How to be a good host on a playdate

• How to be a good winner

• How to be a good sport

• How to show respect to adults

• How to make phone calls to friends

 Participation requirements:

• Both the child and 1 designated parent/adult need to commit to attending the entire 10 week program (consideration will be given if someone is ill)

• Child must have difficulties establishing and/or maintaining friendships

• Child must have verbal communication skills

• Child must be able to participate in a group setting without additional support beyond that provided within the program

• Child must demonstrate emerging social skills (interest in engaging with peers, attempts to verbally communicate, manages emotions in a non-aggressive way) and an interest in building relationships with same-aged peers

• Children must be interested in attending the program

Job Tips utilizes real-world scenarios & strategies to support teens transitioning to the workplace. Sessions are taught using evidence-based strategies such as visual supports, social stories & comics, role-playing scenarios, video modeling, as well as self-assessments & graphic organizers. 

Job Tips will cover:

• Finding & Getting a Job Determining Interests 

• Job Search 

• Resumes & Cover Letters Interview Skills

• References Disclosure Keeping a Job 

• Personal Appearance Supervisor Interactions 

• Co-Worker Interactions Customer Service 

• Coping at Work 

• Set Up for Success