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The Fabulous Friendship Factory is a small group that will focus its sessions on aiding fifth-grade students in building healthy relationships and establishing peer friendships. The session would focus on healthy relationships and skills, such as positive communication and constructive conflict resolution, through age-appropriate activities.

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This group will take teacher, parent, and self-referrals for member consideration.

Teachers will be emailed with a digital flyer containing the group information.

Flyers will be displayed in hallways and classrooms.

Digital flyers will be sent out to parents through the school's newsletters.

Group details will be announced through the morning announcements.

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This group is open for referrals. Therefore, after referrals, it is necessary to interview and screen referred students and identify appropriate students for the group. Screening and interviews will be conducted with a maximum of three students at a time.

1. Let's discuss the group. I will discuss the days, time length, goals, and expectations.

2. Questions! During this time, I will pose students with questions such as:

Do you understand the details of the group? Are you still interested? What are your personal goals? Would this benefit you?

Students will also be allowed to ask me questions concerning the group.

3. I will select the students who would be optimal candidates for the group.

4. Once those students have been selected, I will hold individual interviews with each student and rediscuss steps one and two at a more personal level. We'll talk about their willingness to participate. If they agree, students will sign assent forms and consent forms will be sent home. Parent consent must be given before the initial group session.

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Comanche ISD requires all students under 18 to have consent forms before participating in small-group counseling sessions. The Fabulous Friendship Factory will be geared toward fifth-grade students and will need parental consent before initiating the group.

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I will utilize this resource with my group. I will display the document on a smart board, and we will review the Ground Rules, rules 1-10, as a group. These rules have been pre-determined by me. However, we will discuss together what they look and sound like. This will make the rules more personal to each group member.

In addition, we will develop two additional rules to complete the PDF resource together through meaningful discussions.

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Building relationships and trust is vital for group members and their group leader, in this case, their school counselor. I will build trust with the group members by beginning the lessons with causal conversations, not focused on the topic, simply getting to know each other. I will also incorporate low-pressure activities to build rapport. Group norms will be established by directly communicating expectations and rules to the students. Confidentiality and its limits will be reviewed. We will then collaboratively establish a contract where group members agree to be respectful and considerate of the information shared by others. They will also be informed that if the confidentiality contract is broken, it could result in removal from the group.

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Keeping students working cohesively through each session is critical to meet learning outcomes. I will implement engagement strategies throughout the sessions that keep students engaged. Strategies will include role-playing, relatable discussions, and games to build on the focused skills. I will check on member progress throughout the group through regular check-ins. Students will be asked to start every session with a reflection and share something they remember from the previous session and perhaps used during the week. In addition, students will be encouraged to close each session by writing on a sticky note something they learned from that session.

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Stage three includes group closure, the ultimate goal is for students to feel confident in their learning. As a group leader, it is essential to let group members know that the session ending does not mean they are being abandoned. At the end of the session, we will have a reflect and share activity. Students will be encouraged to sit and reflect on important things they learned and how they impacted their relationships with others. Students will be reminded of the importance of confidentiality and how we must continue respecting our fellow group members and honor the confidentiality contract established collaboratively. Each student will be given a journal. This journal will be used as a log. Students will be encouraged to monitor their skills for four weeks. After the four weeks, I will hold follow-up sessions with students and will discuss how they implemented the skills during the four weeks. If needed, I can provide support as a group or individually. We will have two more follow-up sessions to ensure students continue to be successful.

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I will utilize Participative Leadership (Democratic) for the Fabulous Friendship Factory group sessions. This leadership style promotes member input and collaboration. As a leader, I will guide students while being participative and inclusive of their feelings and ideas (Cherry, 2023). This method will allow students to take ownership of their learning and develop the skills taught. Participative Leadership closely aligns with the group's goal of building healthy relationships because it promotes active listening and communication skills between members and the leader.

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"Development of socializing techniques refers to social learning or development of
interpersonal skills" (Yalom, 1995).

The group will present students with the opportunity to build on interpersonal skills through various age-appropriate strategies. Key skills targeted through group sessions are listening and communication skills and problem-solving through conflict resolution strategies.

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A.2b Inform students of the purposes, goals, techniques, rules, and procedures under which they may receive counseling. Disclosure includes informed consent and clarification of the limits of confidentiality (American School Counselor Association, 2022).

The Fabulous Friendship Factory will target students in the fifth grade, all of which are minors and will require informed consent. Before initiating the group session, parents must receive information about the offered services. As a school counselor, it is my ethical duty to inform them of the group's purpose, goals, and expectations and answer any questions they may have. This will ensure the parent is fully aware of all details regarding the group their child will participate in. Consent not only protects the student but also myself as a school counselor.

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Requirement 2 of 2: Small-group Counseling Services 

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Requirement 2 of 2: Small-group Counseling Services 

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A. 7a Offer culturally sustaining small-group counseling services based on individual student, school, and community needs; student data; a referral process; and/or other relevant data (American School Counselor Association, 2022).

This ethical standard outlined by the American School Counselor Association highlights the duty a school counselor has to offer small-group counseling to students. Small groups should be provided based on the students' needs. The Fabulous Friendship Factory is a small group that was created to address a campus-wide concern. This included the needs of various students who struggle to develop and maintain healthy relationships and provide them with the skills they need to establish and maintain relationships successfully.

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American School Counselor Association. (2022). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/44f30280-ffe8-4b41-9ad8-f15909c3d164/EthicalStandards.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (n.d.). ASCA student standards: Mindsets and behaviors for student success. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Cherry, K. (2023). How to lead: 6 leadership styles and frameworks. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide: A professional school counselor’s guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based counseling groups.

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.

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Through the Fabulous Friendship Factory, students will master the following:

l B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

B-SS 5. Ethical decision-making and social responsibility