Core Components 

Positive Action is a manualised, universal school- based, social and emotional learning programme aimed at children and young people between the ages of 4 and 15 years. It teaches children that they will feel good about themselves when they do positive actions. The programme works through the Thought-Actions-Feelings cycle in a positive way to promote a healthy sense of self and well-being. The programme is delivered as part of the school curriculum in 6 core units with a review of the principles learned throughout the year. These include:

• Unit 1 – Self Concept - The programme starts with helping students identify themselves and understand their Self-Concept. Students learn that self-concept means the way they think and feel about themselves, and that families and friends influence their self-concepts. 
• Unit 2 – Positive Actions for your body and mind - focuses on specific positive actions for physical health and positive actions for intellectual health.  
• Unit 3 – Managing yourself responsibly – children learn to manage their own resources: time, energy, possessions, money, talents, thoughts, actions, and feelings.
• Unit 4 – Treating others the way you like to be treated – the programme shifts from introspection to social interactions. Students learn and practice positive ways of dealing with others.
• Unit 5 – Telling yourself the truth - students practice telling themselves the truth, knowing themselves, not blaming others, admitting mistakes, not making excuses, and keeping their word.
• Unit 6 – Improving yourself continually - students learn how to set short-term and long-term goals, and how to make goal setting work. They are taught to believe in their potential, to have courage to try, to turn problems into opportunities, and to work steadily toward improvement.
• Unit 7 – Review - Reviews the principles learned throughout the year. 

The programme comes with a customised digital instruction manual for each year group between Kindergarten to Grade 8 (4- 15 yrs). There are 140, 15 to 20-minute, age -appropriate lessons which graduate learning through Kindergarten to Grade 6. Lessons are taught 4 days a week and use a variety of tools such as role play, games, puppets and stories. There are 70, 20- minute lessons for Grades 7 & 8.  Four Kits are available for High School Grades 9 through 12 that are interchangeable, containing 132 scripted, 15 to 20- minute lessons.

There are also 4 supplemental training kits for High School covering the subjects Substance Use Prevention, Bullying Prevention, Counselling, Family Involvement, Community Involvement and School Climate.

Fidelity 

Fidelity is measured using fidelity monitoring surveys. There is also a teacher survey to be completed at the end of unit 6. This includes answering questions about the time spent on each lesson and any modifications made to the delivery of the lesson.

The developers recommend recording changes in pupil’s attendance rates, and behaviour to measure success of the programme.

Modifiable Components 

The programme is available in Spanish and Dutch. It has been adapted for use in Native American schools. The programme is also implemented by the Police Athletic League in the US, where police officers engage with young people by playing sports and will teach a Positive Action before the game and discuss it after the game.

The programme has been running for 40 years, the programme materials are in a digital format to allow for continuous adaptation and updating of materials.

Implementation Support  

The programme developers recommend implementation and orientation training for sites considering implementing the programme. This one- day training is intended for the school leadership team as well as the teaching staff who will deliver the programme, to prepare them for the implementation requirements and identify best practice for delivery. Training can be delivered on a wide scale model, with several schools being trained at once. Implementation support is available either on site or through a webinar. Ongoing implementation support is also available if required.

Licence Requirements  

There is no license requirement. 

Start-up Costs 

Training costs are in US dollars and available on the programme website. Typical training costs are:

• Onsite orientation: A day’s orientation training for up to 50 participants costs $3,000 per day. Travel expenses, including Trainer's travel time is additional. Costs can vary depending on the number of participants attending the training.
• Online Webinar: This is available for up to 20 participants. The first two hours costs $550. Webinars for each additional topics are $300, these are: High School, Climate Development, Family Classes and Community.
• Train the Trainer: There is a train the trainer model for up to 25 participants, which is available for schools to train their staff to cascade the training. Onsite training costs include $3,000 per day plus travel expenses, including Trainer's travel time.
• Kits: Kits range between $450 and $500. There are refresher kits to replenish consumable materials, which can be purchased between $150 and $225 or can be purchased by subscription. There are also starter bundles which range between $1215 and $2155.

Building Staff Competency  

Qualifications Required  

There are no formal qualifications required to deliver the programme, however, as this is a school- based programme, many of the instructors will have a teaching qualification. Staff from After School Clubs and Volunteers can also train in the programme.

Training Requirements 

The training is delivered over a half to a full day and is available for each of the different school grade span, from Kindergarten to High School, therefore, services need only train for their school population group. It is recommended the programme is delivered in the earlier school years as this is where there is the most potential to affect change and the students are more likely to engage with the programme in the middle to high school years.

The length of a training session varies by the size of the implementation and the number of participants. Training can be delivered on site or remotely online.

Formal programme training focuses on the benefits of using the materials rather than how to deliver the training. There are systematic instructions for delivery are in the training manual, which includes scripted materials for teachers.

Supervision Requirements  

There is no supervision or coaching model available. 

Theory of Change   

Positive Action is based in the broader theory of social and emotional learning and development. It uses the Thoughts-Actions-Feelings cycle to demonstrate the link that thoughts and feelings impact upon behaviour. It highlights that when positive actions are carried out self-esteem improves. This then has a positive impact upon students social, emotional behaviour and leads to an improvement in school performance and mental health.

Values  

Positive Action is a universal social and emotional learning programme designed to enhance health promotion and reduce health compromising behaviours by motivating children and young people to be their best selves. It teaches them that they feel positive about themselves when they do positive actions. The programme is typically delivered within a school setting.

• Is your organisation looking to provide an intervention that helps improve the health and well- being of children and young people?

Priorities 

Positive action is a universal preventative programme aimed at improving school engagement, promoting positive health behaviours and preventing anti- social behaviour, teen pregnancy and substance abuse.

• Is delivering an intervention that addresses a range of behavioural, health and emotional problems in young people a priority for your organisation?
• Is an intervention that can be delivered within the school setting a priority for your organisation?

Existing Initiatives   

• Does your agency have existing programmes designed to promote positive behavioural change in students?
• Do existing initiatives focus specifically on encouraging positive action on improving health and well-being?
• Are existing initiatives effective?
• Do existing initiatives fit with your current and anticipated future requirements?
• Are existing initiatives delivered in the school setting or other settings?

Workforce  

Positive Action is typically accessed within the school setting. It requires support from senior managers to ensure successful implementation, so there is an expectation for the school leadership team to attend the training along with teaching staff, as the main focus is implementation. It is recommended that the programme is delivered to each year group, with particular emphasis on starting in the early years.  The length of training is dependent upon the number of people being trained; this can vary from a few hours to a full day. This includes support for teachers/instructors to deliver the programme.

• Does your organisation have practitioners with who are interested in learning and delivering this programme?
• Would all of the school leadership team be available to attend training?
• Would practitioners be given time to deliver this programme within the school curriculum?
• Does your organisation have the capacity to allow staff the one day needed to attend the training?
• Would you have practitioners who could attend the Train the Trainer and have time to cascade this training within the organisation?

Technology Support  

Positive action uses digitised materials such as instructor’s manual, certificates, activity sheets and workbooks.

• Can your organisation provide the technology practitioners require to access the digital and other consumable materials?
• Can your organisation make available all the administrative materials required to deliver the programme in the chosen setting (e.g. photocopied materials)?

Financial Support  

Training costs vary depending on the size of the implementation and number of participants. The cost of an onsite orientation is $3000 and the cost of kits depending upon which kits will be used. Train the trainer costs $3000 to train up to 25 trainers.

• How many practitioners will deliver this programme within your organisation?
• Can the cost of orientation, training and materials, including replenishing materials, be financially supported?

Comparable Population   

Positive Action is a universal, school-based programme typically delivered in a classroom environment. Evidence of the effectiveness of Positive Action includes young people (male and female) between the ages of 4-15 years in schools in the United States and has been shown to improve their social and emotional health and well- being.

• Is this comparable to the population your organisation would like to serve?
• Has your organisation identified schools who may benefit from this programme?

Desired Outcome  

Positive Action is associated with a reduction in bullying behaviour, serious violence, substance misuse, disruptive behaviour and rates of anxiety and depression in young people. It has been shown to improve life satisfaction and self-efficacy. The programme targets both distal (school climate and teacher classroom management) and proximal (thoughts, feelings and self-efficacy) influences on behaviour.

• Are the above outcomes priorities for your organisation?
• Are there other outcomes that your organisation would like to achieve which are outside the premise of Positive Action?
• Does your organisation have other systems in place that effectively and efficiency address the above outcomes?