Where we work in North America
Canada
Programmes: Zippy's Friends, Passport
- Launched 2004
- Children this year - 17,600
- Total children since launch - 106,964
One of the original aims of Zippy’s Friends was to reduce rates of suicide by giving children the skills to cope with difficulties in adolescence and adult life, and the Canadian programme is run by the Center for Research and Intervention on Suicide, Ethical Issues and End-of-Life Practices at the University of Quebec at Montreal. CRISE Director Professor Brian Mishara was one of the original evaluators of Zippy’s Friends, and now serves as an advisor for Partnership for Children. Professor Brian Mishara also developed the original version of Passport.
Les amis de Zippy is currently running in the province of Quebec, largely in French-speaking schools. It is also running in an Aboriginal community in the north of Quebec province.
Our partner in Canada - CRISE-UQAM
USA
Programme: Zippy's Friends
- Launched 2007
- Total children since launch - 21,188
Zippy’s Friends has been running in the state of New Jersey since 2007. After four years under the management of YCS, a non-profit provider of health and social services for children and families, the programme has been taken on by Montclair State University. A Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health has been set up there, and runs Zippy’s Friends in the state as part of its services supporting infant and early childhood mental health.
Zippy’s Friends is recognised by USA database the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning.
Zippy’s Friends was introduced to the USA with support from the Todd Ouida Children’s Foundation, which commemorates and celebrates the life of a young man who died in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
USA schools based outside of New Jersey are welcome to run the programmes after attending UK online training, please email info@partnershipforchildren.org.uk For more information
Our partner in USA - MSU