SPARK Resilience – Skills for Life edition, for 10 – 12 year-olds
SPARK Resilience is a new addition to our Skills for Life programmes, for children at the end of primary school or beginning of secondary school. The programme draws on mindfulness, positive psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy to give children skills to boost their strengths, control strong emotions and reframe habitual ways of thinking.
Adapted from the original version by Prof Ilona Boniwell and Lucy Ryan (2009), SPARK Resilience uses imaginary parrots to represent the messages we give ourselves, such as the Judge, the Worrier and the Enthusiast. Children learn how to challenge the parrots’ unhelpful messages and reframe their thoughts, whilst building a ‘resilience portfolio’ of character strengths and sources of support in their lives.
Evaluation of the original programme found it was effective in boosting resilience and preventing depression.
SPARK Resilience – Skills for Life edition will be piloted in two regions of the UK in 2021.
