Delivering small group programs can be extremely impactful and rewarding, but can also be challenging to get off the group. Students may arrive anxious, reluctant, dysregulated, or carrying past negative experiences. The Small Group Planning Protocol provides a framework of care so that you can on-board, assess, engage and prepare each participant for your program, and use the information you acquire during this planning phase to help prepare for those individuals to join you in a your small group program.

You pick the small group program, but we’ve provided the planning protocol to help support you to select and onboard participants in a sensitive and meaningful way.

Developed by experienced psychologist Dr Connie Buckingham, this protocol provides a structured, 7 step framework to ensure small groups are:

Safe for all participants and facilitators
Transparent to students, parents, and staff
Student-centred, valuing voice, choice, and agency
Individualised and engaging, meeting each learner’s needs

You can access the protocol via the an on-line portal with video training (completed in 20-minutes), along with reading material to explain why the protocol has been created, how to implement the protocol, downloadable sample forms, and a neuroaffirming pre-post impact questionnaire to help assess program impact.

The protocol is designed for anyone delivering small group programs (including teachers, clinicians/therapists, and teacher support staff).

All small group programs should be trauma-informed and neuroaffirming and the process of effective, sensitive group planning is as critical as effective, sensitive program deliver!

To make this resource accessible, the protocol/training and associated materials are all housed within an online portal for easy, on-going access ($35AU).

For more information check on the portal link or reach out to Dr Connie Buckingham connie@socialstencil.com.

Social Stencil