Wellbeing- UR STONG Program
At St Joseph’s, we believe that every child deserves to feel known, nurtured, and empowered—especially in their friendships. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that St Joseph’s is now a URStrong School!
This year, our classroom teachers will use the URStrong Friendology Curriculum as part of their weekly Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) sessions. The program offers students an engaging and practical way to understand, build, and manage healthy friendships—an essential foundation for personal wellbeing and academic success.
What is URStrong?
URStrong is an internationally recognised friendship skills program that teaches students how to manage social dynamics with confidence and kindness. Developed by teacher and friendship expert Dana Kerford, URStrong is now used in schools around the world to create a shared language of friendship between students, teachers, and parents.
The program supports students to:
- Build strong, respectful relationships.
- Resolve conflict with empathy.
- Identify healthy vs. unhealthy friendships.
- Stand up for themselves and others.
- Become “Friendship Ninjas” with real-world skills for life.
Friendship Day: The Official Launch
This week we introduced the UR STRONG program to the students through assembly and throughout the morning, students explored the strengths that make them unique and began their journey towards becoming Friendship Ninjas.
What Will Students Learn?
The Friendology Curriculum is built around four key learning areas:
1. The Four Friendship FactsStudents learn that:
- No friendship is perfect.
- Every friendship is different.
- Trust and respect are essential.
- Friendships change—and that’s okay.
2. Friend-O-MeterA visual tool to help students recognise how friendships make them feel—identifying “green-zone” (healthy) friendships vs “red-zone” (unhealthy) ones.
3. Friend-O-CycleBased on the idea that conflict is normal, this tool teaches how to “Talk-it-Out” and resolve friendship issues respectfully.
4. Standing Up for YourselfStudents practise setting boundaries and using “Quick Comebacks” to respond to mean-on-purpose behaviour safely and confidently.
A Whole-School Approach: Involving Families
Becoming a URStrong School means our entire community is part of the conversation. Soon, families will gain access to the URStrong Parent Portal, which is filled with helpful resources like videos, posters, and conversation starters to use at home.
Why It Matters
Strong friendships are more than just “a nice to have.” They are among the most important predictors of a child’s happiness, confidence, and academic performance. By teaching our students how to build and maintain healthy relationships, we’re giving them the tools to thrive—now and into the future.
We’re proud to be a URStrong School and look forward to watching our students grow into confident, kind, and resilient Friendship Ninjas!
Georgie Carman
Wellbeing Leader