Social Space

Get Started

PEERS® FOR YOUNG ADULTS

The Social Space provides a supportive environment where young adults aged 18–35 can develop the skills needed to navigate friendships and romantic relationships.

Research shows that young adults with social challenges including autism, ADHD, anxiety, or depression are at greater risk of isolation, poor friendship quality, dependence on caregivers, and limited independence. Romantic relationships can also be difficult to navigate, sometimes leaving individuals vulnerable to exploitation.

Despite these challenges, access to evidence-based therapy programs often diminishes after age 21, even though social demands continue to grow across adulthood. This gap in services inspired UCLA to develop PEERS® for Young Adults, extending their internationally acclaimed adolescent program into adulthood.

The program uses a parent/carer-assisted model, where participants attend weekly sessions while a consistent social coach (parent, sibling, mentor, or carer) joins a parallel group. Together, they learn concrete, ecologically valid social skills that reflect real-life demands supported through role-plays, video demonstrations, behavioural rehearsals, and home practice.

By focusing on friendships, communication, conflict management, and dating/romantic relationships, PEERS® empowers young adults to strengthen independence, build meaningful connections, and thrive in the community.

Skills Covered

Conversation & Friendship Skills

  • Trading information and finding common interests
  • Having two-way conversations
  • Entering and exiting conversations
  • Choosing appropriate friends
  • Organising a get-together

Communication Style

  • Using humour appropriately
  • Respectful electronic communication
  • Practising good sportsmanship

Handling Challenges

  • Responding to teasing or embarrassing feedback
  • Dealing with bullying and negative reputations
  • Handling disagreements
  • Managing rumours and gossip

Dating Etiquette

  • Letting someone know you like them
  • Dating safely
  • Dating do’s and dont’s

Participation Requirements

To take part in PEERS® for Young Adults in Sydney, participants must

  • Be aged 18–35 years
  • Have proficient skills in recognising and managing their own emotions
  • Experience difficulties socialising with peers
  • Be motivated to attend and participate voluntarily
  • Commit to attending all program sessions
  • Be eager to learn through discussion and activities
  • Be willing to practise skills with their social coach between sessions
  • Have a consistent social coach available to attend weekly sessions

Why It Matters

Friendships and relationships are central to wellbeing, yet many young adults with social challenges struggle to form and maintain them. Without support, this can lead to isolation, lower confidence, and increased risk of mental health difficulties.

The good news: research shows that even one or two close friendships can make a profound difference—improving self-esteem, resilience, and independence while protecting against victimisation.

PEERS® helps bridge the service gap for young adults by providing practical, evidence-based strategies that support long-term social integration and wellbeing.

Proven Results

PEERS® for Young Adults has been validated in multiple randomised controlled trials and international studies. Findings show consistent improvements in:

  • Social skills knowledge and real-world application
  • Friendship quality and frequency of get-togethers
  • Social communication, cooperation, and assertion
  • Reduced autistic mannerisms and social anxiety

These gains are both immediate and long-lasting, with follow-up studies showing skills maintained well beyond program completion.

Program Structure

Duration

12 weeks

Format

Weekly 90 minute Adult and Parent/Social Coach Sessions

Activities

Structured lessons with concrete strategies, supported by role-plays and behavioural rehearsals. Weekly assignments to generalise skills into real-world settings.

Parent/Carer Involvement

Parents and carers attend concurrent sessions to act as their teen’s "social coach"

The PEERS® Social Skills Program for Young Adults

ADULT SOCIAL SKILLS PROGRAM | AGES 18-35

PEERS® Social Skills Program for Young Adults.

Building Confidence, Independence and Meaningful Relationships

PEERS® for Young Adults is an internationally recognised, evidence-based social skills program developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), designed to support young adults in building confidence, social understanding, and meaningful connections. The program focuses on practical, real-world social skills that support participants to develop and maintain friendships, navigate peer dynamics, and build healthy romantic relationships.

Through structured group sessions, step-by-step instruction, role-play demonstrations, and behavioural rehearsal, participants learn concrete strategies that can be applied across social, vocational, and everyday settings. Each participant is supported by a social coach who attends a parallel session, helping to reinforce learning and support the application of skills beyond the group environment.

Enquire Now Find Out More
Young adults engaging in social activities
friendship & dating
REAL-WORLD SKILLS
SOCIAL COACH supported
CONFIDENCE & INDEPENDENCE

Why This Program Matters

Social connection plays an important role in emotional wellbeing, confidence, and independence in adulthood. For some young adults, forming and maintaining friendships and relationships can feel challenging, particularly as structured supports become less available after adolescence. This can lead to feelings of isolation, reduced confidence, and difficulty navigating social and relationship experiences.

PEERS® for Young Adults provides a structured and supportive environment where participants can learn and practise social communication, friendship, and relationship skills in a safe and supported setting.

Parent or Social Coach Involvement

A social coach is an important part of the PEERS® for Young Adults model. Coaches may include a parent, sibling, family member, mentor, life coach, or other consistent support person. Coaches attend a parallel session each week and are supported to guide skill development, provide feedback, and assist with practice in everyday settings.

Program Details

  • Age Range 18–35 years
  • Eligibility Suitable for young adults experiencing social challenges who are open to participating, engaging in sessions, and practising skills between sessions
  • Funding Options NDIS (Self and Plan-Managed), Medicare and private options available
  • Schedule Saturdays 1:30pm - 3:00pm (Terms 2 and 4)
  • get started Contact our team to learn more, discuss suitability, and secure a place in the next group

This program may be a good fit if the young adult:

This program may be suitable if the young adult:

  • Finds it difficult to make or maintain friendships
  • Feels unsure how to initiate or sustain conversations
  • Would like support navigating dating and romantic relationships
  • Experiences anxiety or uncertainty in social situations
  • Would benefit from practical, step-by-step social strategies
  • Is open to participating, engaging in sessions, and practising skills between sessions

Skills Developed

Participants are introduced to practical, real-world social skills across key areas:

Conversation and Social Connection

  • Identifying shared interests and building connections
  • Starting, entering, and exiting conversations
  • Developing and maintaining appropriate friendships
  • Organising and hosting get-togethers

Communication and Social Etiquette

  • Using humour appropriately
  • Communicating effectively in online and digital settings
  • Interpreting and responding to social feedback
  • Strengthening social confidence and reciprocity

Managing Social Challenges

  • Responding to teasing, rejection, and embarrassing feedback
  • Managing bullying and reputational challenges
  • Managing disagreements and conflict
  • Responding to rumours and gossip

Dating and Relationships

  • Letting someone know you like them
  • Understanding dating etiquette and boundaries
  • Learning practical dating “do’s and don’ts”
  • Managing expectations within romantic relationships

What Makes This Program Different

  • Internationally recognised, evidence-informed program developed at UCLA and informed by ongoing research
  • Structured, step-by-step approach to social skill development
  • Emphasis on practical strategies relevant to everyday life
  • Social coach involvement to support practice beyond sessions
  • Use of video demonstrations, live role-plays, and behavioural rehearsal
  • Neuroaffirming approach that recognises strengths and supports autonomy
  • Designed to support a range of social and emotional presentations

What You Can Expect

This program is designed to support participants to:

  • Practise social communication and interaction skills
  • Develop insight into friendships and peer dynamics
  • Build confidence navigating social situations
  • Develop strategies for managing feedback, conflict, and social challenges
  • Increase familiarity with dating and relationship contexts

Program Structure

  • DURATION 12-week program
  • FORMAT Weekly 90-minute sessions for young adults, with a parallel social coach session
  • APPROACH Structured lessons incorporating behavioural rehearsal, video demonstrations, and real-world practice
  • PRACTICE BETWEEN SESSIONS Weekly social practice tasks to support skill development in everyday settings
  • SOCIAL COACH INVOLVEMENT A consistent social coach (e.g., parent, sibling, or mentor) is recommended to support reinforcement of skills beyond sessions

Research and Evidence

This program draws on a well-established evidence base in adult social development. PEERS® for Young Adults is informed by research including randomised controlled trials exploring social functioning in young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and related social challenges.

Research in this area has found:

  • Improved social skills knowledge
  • Increased social communication, cooperation, and assertion
  • Greater empathy and social responsiveness
  • Increased frequency of hosted and invited get-togethers
  • Reduced autism-related social mannerisms
  • Maintenance of gains at follow-up, with some skills continuing to improve over time

This body of research highlights the value of a structured, coach-assisted social skills model in supporting social participation and confidence in adulthood. Research has also explored the application of this model across a range of presentations, including ADHD, anxiety, low mood, and broader social-emotional differences. Outcomes may vary depending on individual factors, and participation does not guarantee specific results.

Delivery Options

This program is available through flexible delivery options:

  • FACE-TO-FACE Structured sessions delivered within a supportive in-person environment
  • ONLINE (Telehealth) Flexible, accessible sessions with continued coaching and guided participation
  • COMMUNITY-BASED OR PARTNER DELIVERY Delivered in selected settings to support skill development in real-world environments

Finding the Right Support

We understand that building friendships and navigating social and relationship experiences can feel challenging at times. Our team is here to guide you through the process, helping you understand your needs and determine whether PEERS® for Young Adults is the right fit, or recommend the most appropriate support option.

Ready to take the next step?

Contact our team to learn more or secure a place in the next PEERS® for Young Adults group.

Enquire About This Program Speak With Our Team