Paula teaching friendship skills to first graders

Practicing friendship skills from the first grade

No child should be left alone because he or she does not have sufficient skills to establish friendships. This goal led SOS Children’s Villages Finland and Paula puddings to carry out a campaign in order to teach friendship skills to first graders. First graders and their teachers were chosen as the target group because good friendship skills help to build friendships throughout life.

SOS Children’s Villages Finland is the partner of the PAULA Kaveritaidot (Friendship skills) campaign. The need for teaching friendship skills was also noticed by SOS Children’s Villages. In May 2020, when the coronavirus hit Finland, SOS Children’s Villages Finland established the Apuu chat to ensure that no child would be left alone with their worries and fears.

At the same time, a dedicated website for friendship skills, Kaveritaidot.fi, was launched with the purpose of providing tips for the teachers of first graders for teaching friendship skills. Friendship skills were also promoted by means of radio advertising, in an HS article, in newspaper advertisements as well as social media content and influencer communications. A friendship skills test was also spread in social media.