The Friend in Me: An Innovative New Chapter in Youth Mental Health
We’re excited to share the official launch of The Friend in Me, a fiscally sponsored project of Mission Edge and an innovative, evidence-based program empowering children with the skills they need to thrive emotionally and socially.
A unique approach to addressing mental health
In the midst of a growing youth mental health crisis, The Friend in Me offers a mindful self-compassion program for children, pairs it with training for educators, and supports it with AI innovation to create a scalable, accessible solution for schools and communities.
What they offer:
A 6-session Classroom Curriculum for Pre-Teens
Grounded in the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) and Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC-T) models.
Training for Educators
Teacher training that supports educator well-being and empowers them to confidently integrate emotional wellness into daily teaching.
Sparkle: An Empathetic AI Companion
An empathetic AI companion, Sparkle, helps kids practice self-compassion and build deeper self-awareness in their everyday lives.
The Friend in Me is already making an Impact
The Friend in Me is partnering with organizations like Rady Children’s Hospital and The Monarch School, and has received endorsements from leading voices in mindfulness, psychology, and education including Dr. Kristin Neff, Dr. Chris Germer, Dr. Rick Hanson, Susan Kaiser Greenland, Dr. Thupten Jinpa, and Janice Martellucci.
Their mission is to empower schools and communities to cultivate self-awareness and self-compassion, fostering resilience and emotional regulation among children and adolescents.
And because equity matters, they offer their classroom curriculum at no cost to schools, ensuring that every child, no matter their background, can access the emotional skills they deserve.
At Mission Edge, we are proud to support projects like The Friend in Me that are visionary, values-driven, and built to scale.
If you are developing a mission-aligned program and looking for a collaborative partner to help bring it to life, we would love to connect:
