My Personal Survival Plan

Distribute a template to each player. Explain that this activity is about creating a personal survival plan to use during difficult moments.

To start, players draw a self-portrait in the top left corner of the template and describe their characteristics: who am I? What are my talents? What are my hobbies? Etc.

The players then read through the list of survival skills on the template. Using green markers, they colour the strategies they’ve already tried and found helpful. Using blue markers, they highlight strategies they haven’t tried, but are interested in exploring. If players know a helpful strategy not listed, they add it to the template. Optionally, they can share and discuss the selected strategies with the group. 

Players think about moments that have made them happy and review a pre-listed set of activities on the template that typically spark joy. They cross off the activities that resonate with them and add any additional ones that are not listed on the template. Optionally, they can share and discuss the selected activities with the group. 

Discuss with the players the qualities of a good support person (can listen well, knows how to calm you down when you’re having a hard time, makes you smile again, is always there for you, never judges). Players identify adults in their life who embody these qualities such as family members, teachers or therapists and write their names in the supportive network section. Players can of course choose more than 1 person. Optionally, they can share and discuss the their choices in group. 

Wrap up by reinforcing that this personalised survival plan is a tool they can always refer to when feeling anxious, stress or when facing a difficult situation.