Fostering students’ peer relationships through the classroom-based intervention FRIEND-SHIP

Abstract

Social inclusion is a key factor in the well-being and mental health of students. This article describes the findings of the FRIEND-SHIP intervention study to promote social competences and social inclusion within classrooms. The data presented are drawn from teacher interviews conducted before and after the FRIEND-SHIP intervention with students in primary and lower secondary schools, as well as from entries in diaries that the teachers kept during the intervention. A thematic analysis suggests that the intervention improved both students’ social competences and their social inclusion. Furthermore, the program enhanced teachers’ awareness of their daily teaching routines. Suggestions for the program’s improvement based on its practical implementation are also presented and discussed.