Last Updated on 6th August 2020

The 30th of July marks International Friendship Day – a day to celebrate our connections with the people in our lives. The day was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly and places emphasis on involving young people as future leaders and promoters of understanding and respect.

It’s also a day to build connections with new people. To make the world a safe place for everyone, we must work hard to develop bonds with the people around us.

This year for International Friendship day, organisations around the world are trying to stop violence in schools. Did you know that nearly 150 million students aged 13 – 15 worldwide have seen violence amongst their peers in school?

To help create a positive environment in and out of school, we have made some suggestions of how the young people in your care can show simple acts of kindness to brighten someone’s day, both on and offline.

#BePositivelySocial

Social Media can give you the power to reach out to a friend and have a positive impact.

Online suggestions:

  • Leave a nice comment on someone’s social media post
  • Say Hi to a friend on social media that you haven’t talked to in a while
  • Check-in with someone if you think they’re not okay by sending them a private message
  • Tag a friend in a post that will make them smile
  • Share a positive and inspiring post
  • Invite a friend to join you in a social online community or group they may like
  • Don’t exclude someone from your social or gaming group

Once schools are back, you can also have a positive impact offline.

Offline suggestions:

  • Talk to someone new at lunch
  • Ask those who are alone to join you and your friends
  • Don’t exclude someone from your group of friends
  • Help a friend or family member with a task they are struggling with
  • Arrange to meet a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a while (at a safe social distance!)
  • Give someone a compliment

Use these videos to inspire your followers to #BePositivelySocial

Encourage young people to leave comments to promote body positivity on social media.

Sending messages to friends we miss can be better than just checking their social profiles, which can lead to missed connections and feelings of loneliness.

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