PEERS® Conversation Boot Camp.
This Boot Camp is open to all including teens, young adults and parents.
Stands for Program for the Enrichment and Education of Relational Skills
An evidence-based social skills training program for adolescents, young adults and adults with social challenges. It was developed by Dr Elizabeth Laugeson at the University of California in 2004.
The PEERS® Program
the program
what is peers
Our weekend Boot Camp is based on the highly acclaimed PEERS® social skills program.
Over two days we will provide you with the tools needed to:
- Start and enter conversations
- Maintain conversations
- Trade information
- Choose appropriate conversation topics
- Exit conversations
- Use humour appropriately
- Use electronic communication appropriately
- Improve your social success
Our lessons are rules-based and easy to follow teaching targeted social skills through didactic instruction and role-play demonstrations. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice newly-learned skills in a safe and supportive environment.
is this for you
Is the PEERS® Boot Camp right for your adolescent or young adult?
PEERS® is right if they:
- Are aged between 13-17 years or 18-30 years
- Have social challenges
- Want to participate in the program and learn new skills
- Can commit to attending both days of the Boot Camp
- Have a parent/family member/teacher/support worker who is willing to participate as their social coach.
Places are limited.
Reach out NOW to secure your spot.
look inside
Boot Camp Overview.
- Open to all including teens, young adults and parents
- Delivered over One Weekend Sat-Sun 9am - 3pm (with sensory breaks every 50 minutes) AEST
- Presenter: Christine O'Leary, Founder of Social Skills Australia and Certified PEERS® Provider
- Location: Delivered online via Zoom
- One accompanying parent attends for FREE!
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Starting and Entering Conversations
Maintaining Conversations
Trading Information
Appropriate Conversation Topics
Exiting Conversations
Appropriate Use of Humour
Electronic Communication
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Saturday - Sunday
9am - 3pm AEST (with sensory breaks every 50 minutes)
Online via Zoom
Course notes provided.
Structured lesson on each topic
Role-play of dos and don’ts
Practice new skills learnt
Social coaching and feedback
Practical exercises to complete at home
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There have been many studies conducted on the PEERS® Program. Below are links to some of the research:
A Randomised Controlled Trial to Examine the Effectiveness of the Dutch Version of PEERS®
Improving Social Anxiety and Social Responsiveness in Autism Spectrum Disorder through PEERS®
Research Progress on the Effect of PEERS® on Social Skill Improvement among Adolescents with ADHD
Development and Preliminary Testing of the Dutch Version of PEERS®
The full list of research publications on PEERS® is available on the UCLA website HERE.
Social Skills
Research shows improving social skills and having even just 1-2 close friendships can:
- Increase self-esteem, confidence and independence
- Decrease the likelihood of depression and anxiety linked to loneliness
- Minimize the occurrence of bullying.
the Program
Next Boot Camp - April 2024
Spaces are strictly limited and filling fast.
We are now taking enrolments for April 13-14 (Sat-Sun).
Join us from anywhere around Australia via Zoom.
PEERS® Conversation Boot Camp
Our Boot Camps are held on Zoom and recreate the interpersonal interactions we achieve offline - and PEERS® research shows online sessions are just as effective as in-person.
Our Boot Camps are open to all including teens, young adults and parents.
Saturday - Sunday
13-14 April 2024
9am - 3pm AEST (with sensory breaks every 50 minutes)
The investment
Boot Camp Cost
The cost to attend this 2-day Boot Camp is $869 per attendee to be paid in advance. Includes full registration for one attendee - one accompanying parent attends for FREE.
The registration fee is waived for ONE accompanying parent only, additional parents and family members are required to register and pay the registration fee.
Due to limited enrolment we need to process and approve all registration forms before we approve attendees for payment.
Payment confirmation must be sent within 30 days of registration approval, and is required to secure your spot.
We do not process refunds for our Boot Camps, all transactions are final.
Total Investment:
$869
Includes full 2-day registration fee for one attendee - one accompanying parent attends for FREE.
PEERS® & NDIS Participants.
The PEERS® Program suits most NDIS Plans. NDIS funding can be used if your family is self-managed or plan-managed.
NDIS Information:
*NOTE: It is important to check your own individual funding options.
three-step process
Enrolment in the PEERS® Boot Camp
is a simple three-step process.
Step 01
Registration
- Complete the Boot Camp registration form by clicking on the Register Now button below.
- The registration fee is wavied for ONE accompanying parent only, additional parents and family members must register and pay the registration fee.
Step 02
Approval and Payment
- Approved attendees will be sent a confirmation via e-mail that will include a link to pay securely online.
- Upon receipt of your payment, your young person's spot in the Boot Camp is confirmed.
Step 03
Welcome and Commencement
- One week prior to the Boot Camp, you and your young person will receive a welcome email including all the Zoom links and materials.
- We expect the same accompanying parent to attend across both days of the Boot Camp.
Social challenges can make life hard for adolescents and young adults, and families often need extra support.
Social Skills
testimonials
What participants say.
Support
I know what it’s like to have an adolescent who is vulnerable to bullying, depression, and anxiety...
I know that, as a parent, it can be really worrying. And it can be hard to know what to do as there are very few support programs out there for adolescents. I’ve seen for myself the difference this program can make, and my passion is to share everything I’ve learned with other families.
about The Coach
Hi, I'm
Christine O'Leary,
and I'm a Social Coach
I’m a fellow parent of adolescents with social challenges myself - and I’m here to help!
I help adolescents, young adults and adults with autism, ADHD, and other social challenges to make and keep friends and learn important social skills through relaxed and fun small group sessions, both online and in person.
Certified
PEERS® Provider
- Completed the UCLA Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills in the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour at UCLA.
- Certified PEERS® Provider.
Communication & Public Relations Specialist
- Specialised skills and advanced knowledge in the communications, media and creative industries.
- Bachelor of Business Administration, GradDip Communication, PR, Advertising, & Applied Communication.
Parenting Support & Consulting
- Specialising in supporting both individuals and organisations to communicate effectively with others.
- University-trained and post-graduate qualified communications professional passionate about helping people to communicate well.
Peers
Where does PEERS come from?
Dr Elizabeth Laugeson, developed PEERS®
An Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioural Sciences at UCLA (University of California) Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour.
More than x30 peer-reviewed studies demonstrate the efficacy of this course - with teens consistently showing improvement on every measure of social skills and social engagement - as well as reduced problem behaviours, related social difficulties and social anxiety.
The gains are maintained well after the course has ended - a finding attributed to the involvement of a social coach, which can be a parent, another family member, a teacher or a support worker.
For more information on PEERS®, check out this video by the Founder and Director of the UCLA PEERS® Clinic and the developer of PEERS®, Dr Elizabeth Laugeson.
Watch Video
we got answers
Frequently asked questions.
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The PEERS® Boot Camps are open to all including teens (13-17), young adults (18-30) and parents.
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Yes, PEERS® is usually covered by the NDIS. We can accept self-managed and plan-managed NDIS packages. We are not a registered NDIS provider, so we cannot accept NDIA-managed plans. For more, visit the NDIS and Costs page of our website.
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Yes, you can certainly pay privately for PEERS if you don't have NDIS funding.
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Absolutely. Many of our PEERS® participants also have anxiety, and we ensure we provide a safe, inclusive space so that everyone can participate as best they can on the day. We have ample opportunities to make accommodations for everyone so they can participate at a comfortable level while still ensuring new skills are being learnt. We are very experienced and adept at working with adolescents with anxiety.
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No. Our research shows that the teens’ and young adults’ experience with the PEERS® program is greatly improved through parent participation. However, if you can’t attend the Boot Camp - or if another family member or support worker needs to fill in for you - we will also make that work.