CRISE also distributes the school programme Zippy’s Friends in Canada, which has the same objectives as Passport: Skills for Life, but for children 6 to 7 years old. The programmes complement one another, and we encourage schools to offer both programmes to all their students, but it is not necessary to have participated in the Zippy’s Friends programme to benefit from Passport: Skills for Life, and vice versa.

Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), Zippy’s Friends has been used in 30 countries around the world with the participation of over 1.3 million children to date. This school-based mental health promotion programme improves children’s coping strategies and social skills by equipping them with tools to deal with difficulties that in their daily lives and helps prepare then for dealing with problems in the future, in adolescence and adulthood. This programme, developed by the organization Partnership for Children and in part by CRISE, includes 24 sessions, 45 minutes each, delivered in class by a teacher, and addresses themes such as emotions, friendships, conflict-resolution and change.

To learn more about this programme, available in English and French, consult the Zippy’s Friends website or Facebook page.

Evaluations of Zippy’s Friends

Scientific evaluations conducted in several countries confirm that Zippy’s Friends increases children’s coping strategies and improves social skills (cooperation, autonomy, self-control, empathy, etc.). It also contributes to reducing certain problematic behaviour (aggression, impulsivity, etc.) and improves school results and classroom atmosphere.