The Creative Coping Toolkit (CCT) is an online film-based learning platform built around iNDIEFLIX’s original mental health film collection and designed to support social-emotional well-being, as well as the development of life skills like empathy and thoughtfulness.

Depending on the licensing agreement your school has with us, you may have access to the CCT for one (1) to four (4) film programs in our mental health collection. 

This program was created with communities and students in mind and can be used in a variety of ways both in the classroom as well as in informal educational settings like library events, family workshops, after-school programs, community events, or professional development sessions. 

Through the CCT, you can explore topics addressed in our film(s) with your class through guided discussion, self-reflection prompts, and social-emotional learning (SEL) activities. Students can reflect on what they have seen and think about connections to their own lives. Also, they will learn more about the experiences of others, including their peers and classmates. 

You can use the CCT to:

• Facilitate engaged learning and classroom discussions around mental health to promote life skill development, social-emotional learning, and student well-being.
• Guide a film-based lesson related to mental health, adding an interactive activity for an extended classroom lesson.
• Assign students immersive activities for bell work or homework to deepen understanding and reflection. 

• The activities and discussion guides in the toolkit are designed to be flexible and can be adjusted according to your curriculum, available time, and unique student experiences.
• Reference our Sample Lesson Guide (via: Welcome Guide) for inspiration on how to integrate multiple tools in the CCT together within a classroom session. 
• Student activities can be assigned as standalone exercises or integrated into a longer lesson plan. They can be printed for students to hand write answers or downloaded to save their reflections digitally; each exercise can also be accessed, printed or saved individually.
• As a guide, the activities can be completed in 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time you allow participants to reflect. They make a great warm-up exercise or bell work, or can be assigned as extended learning as homework.
• If you assign activities for homework, we recommend that you suggest your students involve their family members - this way they can become “SEL Champions” at home! 
• The chapter-by-chapter discussion guides are designed to facilitate longer and more in-depth reflection and learning for group-focused sessions - great for the classroom setting.
• It is recommended that at least 15 to 20 minutes are allocated for viewing a chapter video clip and using the included guide for student self-reflection and then group discussion. We encourage allocating more time to longer chapters to provide more reflection!

Social media is a tool and social platforms are a place to connect, share, and care… but is that what’s really happening? 

LIKE was inspired by the first film in iNDIEFLIX’s Mental Wellness Trilogy, Angst. While Angst’s goal is to raise awareness around anxiety, LIKE goes more in depth about the influence of social media on our lives. 

The film brings perspectives from kids, adults, and experts to explain how social media use can affect our mental state. It also explores the brain science involved in that impact. 

Social media is here to stay! The film and this curriculum teach us how to move forward in a world surrounded by increasingly sophisticated technology that controls our thoughts and actions more than we think. 

Instead of instilling fear or pointing fingers at the social media platforms, LIKE’s intention is to empower each of us to take control of how we balance our lives and shift our relationship with those platforms.   

By teaching LIKE in the classroom, you will enable students to:

• Understand just how much the organizations behind social media platforms are able to understand and tailor content to influence their users (the ‘Echo Chamber’ effect).  
• Appreciate how common Fake News has become, share information about how it proliferates and apply tips to identify and evaluate source credibility.
• Establish habits to encourage vigilance around online safety.

They will also learn to apply tools and strategies for:

• Self regulation with social media 
• Managing FOMO (fear of missing out)
• Authentic Posting on social media
• Maintaining a positive social media presence in their own profile and feed

Students will also understand the connection between personal values and a positive social media experience.

Max Stossel is the Head of Education for the Center for Humane Technology, an organization of former tech insiders and CEOs dedicated to re-aligning technology with humanity’s best interests. Previously Max was a social media strategist who designed some of the same notification structures to distract students that he now criticizes. Max is also currently an award-winning poet and filmmaker named by Forbes as one of the best storytellers of the year.

Leah Pearlman is the co-creator of the Facebook ‘Like’ button. She left Facebook to become the creator of Dharma Comics and author of Drawn Together, a book of uplifting comics that illustrate love, loss, courage, relationships and the full spectrum of the human experience. She is rarely on social media anymore.

John Borthwick has been a leader and early-stage investor in New York technology for over two decades. As founder and CEO of Betaworks, he has led the company building and investment process since 2008. Companies built by Betaworks include Giphy, Dots, bit.ly, and Chartbeat. Combining physical space with software, Betaworks Studios is a space for community and connection in the tech industry, people can collaborate, think, and envision humane tech products. 

Tim Conroy-Stocker is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has over 20 years experience working in education. Tim supports student teacher and family wellbeing across a large educational foundation. Tim has expertise in positive psychology and mindfulness working with a number of organizations to deliver training and culture changes.

James Playford is the Head Teacher of Information & Communications Technology at West Island School in Hong Kong. James is featured in LIKE discussing the importance of giving students the skills and resources to know how to manage social media usage.

Colby Zintl is the Vice President, External Affairs at Common Sense Media. She is a seasoned marketing & communications leader for companies in both B2B and B2C sectors, including tech, CPG, health, government, and non-profit. She has deep experience and education in digital marketing and communications, She is also a strong writer with a passion for people & storytelling.