Friendship Activity Guide: Fostering Inclusion, Empathy, and Resolving Conflicts 

Friendship is a cornerstone of our lives. For a young adolescent who identifies as female, “A girl’s connection with others is a central organizing feature in her psychological make-up. The quality of these connections determines her overall psychological health.” Girls Circle Facilitator Manual, p.5.  

Maintaining healthy friendships can sometimes be challenging due to exclusion, intolerance, and feuding. One Circle Foundation’s Friendship Activity Guide is a comprehensive curriculum that addresses these issues and equips Girls Circle participants with the skills to establish and nurture meaningful friendships.   

Our top selling Girls Circle activity guide since 2009, the Friendship Activity Guide is now available in a digital platform in addition to our traditional hardcopy version.   

By confronting relational aggression and promoting empathy, Friendship seeks to break down barriers and foster pride, confidence, and empathy. Themes such as "Being Included, Being Left Out" and "Feuds, Followers & Fairness," empower participants to increase their caring and relational competence.  

Experiencing exclusion can be incredibly painful and damaging to self-esteem. The Friendship Activity Guide offers practical strategies to minimize exclusion and create an inclusive environment that encourages genuine connections.   

Conflicts are inevitable in any friendship, but it is beneficial to handle them with empathy and compassion. Activities like role plays, reflective conversations, and conflict resolution games equip individuals with the tools needed to address misunderstandings, find common ground, and restore harmony within their friendships.  

Healthy friendships contribute greatly to our overall well-being. In learning how to maintain healthy and meaningful friendships, we must address exclusion, intolerance, and feuds head-on. As facilitators, we can model healthy and respectful ways to handle disagreements. By promoting caring and relational competence, this activity guide aims to create a society where friendships thrive, barriers are broken down, and pride and confidence flourish.