Positive Pieces in 2026: Continuing Growth, Partnership and Wider Impact

To our valued Second Step community,

As we open the door on the new year and look back on 2025, we have so much to celebrate — not only growth and engagement in our classrooms, but a significant step forward in partnership and reach. Because of your commitment, and with the generous support of Buildcorp Foundation and NSW DoE, we’ve significantly extended the reach and impact of social‑emotional learning (SEL) for students across Australia, and New Zealand.

A Landmark 2025 Partnership

• In May 2025, the Buildcorp Foundation announced a $1 million investment in the Second Step® program — in collaboration with Positive Pieces Education and the NSW Department of Education. 

• This partnership has enabled structured, teacher‑led SEL lessons to be delivered in public schools — bringing resilience, self-regulation and social-emotional competence to Kindergarten through Year 6 in 208 participating schools across NSW. 

• In the first year of this initiative, over 49,000 students have been given access to quality evidence-based social-emotional instruction and skill practice through Second Step program implementation in their schools. 

• With this commitment, we are proud to be part of a bold, long-term effort to ensure SEL and mental‑health preventative education is available to more students than ever before.

What This Means for Our Community

• As the licensed Australian and New Zealand publisher of Second Step, Positive Pieces Education continues to deliver evidence‑based SEL to early learning, primary and middle school settings — now with expanded reach thanks to our Buildcorp/NSW DoE partnership. 

• The program’s alignment with NSW’s PDHPE curriculum and the NSW Wellbeing Framework ensures SEL is integrated meaningfully within the schools' broader health and wellbeing strategy. 

• For many schools this year, Second Step has moved from a “nice-to-have” to a core part of the learning environment — giving students, teachers and communities consistent tools for empathy, self‑regulation, social awareness, and decision‑making.

Successes, Stories & Gratitude

Thanks to YOU — our dedicated educators, school leaders, support staff and families across Australia and New Zealand — we’ve seen:

• Schools embedding Second Step universally across classrooms, helping build emotionally literate, inclusive and respectful learning environments. 

• Feedback from teachers and support staff highlighting how well students respond to the lessons: the engaging songs, games, discussions and simple‑to‑teach structure make SEL accessible and enjoyable. 

• Improvements in school climate: calmer classrooms, better peer relationships, improved behaviour, and enhanced sense of belonging and safety.

Thank You

To all educators, school leadership teams, early childhood educators, support staff, and the families who back you — thank you.

To the Buildcorp Foundation and NSW Department of Education — thank you for believing in SEL, supporting mental‑health prevention, and investing in the wellbeing of our children.

Looking Ahead to 2026 — Together

As we step into 2026, we’re excited to continue this journey with you — growing partnerships, expanding reach, and deepening our impact.

We hope you enjoyed a restful, well‑deserved holiday break with lots of celebration, recharging and connection, and are back ready to build even more positive, caring, inclusive school communities in 2026.

With heartfelt gratitude, 

The Positive Pieces Education Team

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Positive Pieces Education is the Australian and New Zealand publisher of the Second Step social-emotional learning program. Learn more