The FRIEND blended learning programme is organised in 7 sessions. As presented before, the scenario for implementation consists of groups of 8 to 12 older adults, delivered by 2 facilitators, over a frequency of 1 session per week (Figure 4) – this is a recap from what has already been presented at Module 3.
Each of the sessions of the FRIEND learning programme has a specific topic to focus on and the programme provides ‘tips for home’ for participants to explore further that topic. The main attention of the 7 sessions is to encourage and stimulate experimental and interactive activities.
The 7 sessions of the FRIEND Learning Programme are:
On the Manual of the FRIEND Learning Programme, facilitators can find all the detailed descriptions of each of the sessions. Within that Manual, each session is presented with the objectives, materials needed and the full description of each of the experiential exercises suggested for the FRIEND Learning Programme. The Manual is written in a narrative process, that takes readers to follow the learning path between a story and specific exercises. The Table 2 presents an outline of the full 7 sessions.
Table 2. Outline of the FRIEND 7 learning sessions
| NR. OF SESSION | THEME | OBJECTIVES | AVAILABLE RESOURCES |
| 1 | Rediscovering friendship: the value of a timeless connection | – Getting to know the programme; – Getting to know each other; – Reflecting on the concept of friendship; – Reflecting on the values associated with friendship. | First Experimental Exercise: The Ball of YarnReflection on the Value of FriendshipSecond Experimental Exercise: The Postcard Exercise |
| 2 | Pieces of a relational mosaic: the importance of variety in friendship | – Reflect on the various forms of friendship; – Recognise and overcome some stereotypes related to friendship, which may hinder friendship relationships; – Identify strengths and challenges related to the variety in friendship; – Encourage greater flexibility and openness towards different forms of friendship. | Sharing the home exerciseFriendship variety theoryExperiential exercise: The friend you don’t expect |
| 3 | Friendship and self-esteem: discovering our qualities | – Promote participants’ self-esteem; – Encourage participants to reconnect with and appreciate their qualities, which can be an added value in friendship relationships; – Help participants recognise the connection between self-esteem and a healthy, balanced friendship | Sharing the home exercise/first experiential exerciseTheory on the importance of self-esteemExperiential exercise: quality in motion |
| 4 | A convoy of relationships: the people who accompany us on life’s journey | Evaluate currently available relationships, including friendships; – Construct one’s own relationship convoy; – establishing individual relationship goals based on one’s convoy: which new friendships I would like to make and which friendships I would like to strengthen. | Sharing the home exerciseTheory on the convoyFirst exercise: create your own convoySecond exercise: define your goal |
| 5 | Establishing new contacts and strengthening existing ones | – To promote the development of new strategies for establishing new contacts, meeting new people and initiating new conversations; – To promote the development of new strategies to strengthen existing friendship relations. | Theory making new connectionsFirst exercise you start!Theory: strengthening existing friendshipsSecond Exercise: friendship in action |
| 6 | Assertiveness: the art of saying no and setting functional boundaries in relationships | – To promote the development or enhancement of assertiveness skills, such as the ability to say no and to set functional limits and boundaries in friendship relationships. | Sharing the home exerciseTheory on assertivenessFirst exercise: exploring relational stylesTheory on the art of setting boundariesSecond exercise: drawing your boundariesThird exercise: practicing assertiveness |
| 7 | Expressing one’s needs and offering support to our friends | – To learn how to communicate one’s needs effectively; To understand how to support friends in times of difficulty. | Sharing the home exercise/theory on how to communicate our needsTheory on supporting others in challenging momentsFirst exercise: empathySecond exercise: towards new directions |
GA no:
2023-1-NL01-KA220-000156207
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