PROSPER
Seven Evidence-Based Pathways to Wellbeing, Flourishing, and Thriving in Life
What is the PROSPER Framework?
PROSPER is a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for wellbeing and positive education developed by leading Australian educators and psychologists, Dr. Toni Noble and Dr. Helen McGrath. The acronym PROSPER captures seven key pathways that research has identified as essential for human flourishing: Positivity, Relationships, Outcomes, Strengths, Purpose, Engagement, and Resilience.
Originally designed to transform schools into enabling institutions where students can thrive both academically and personally, the PROSPER framework draws on principles of positive psychology and educational research to create a holistic approach to wellbeing. The framework emerged from Noble and McGrath's groundbreaking work on the Bounce Back program—the world's first Positive Education program—which has won numerous awards and been successfully implemented in schools across Australia, Scotland, and beyond.
💬 The Power of One Question at a Time
Think about how a single question can shift your entire day: "What brings you joy on a regular basis?" or "What strengths did you use today?"
Or consider journaling on: "What gives your life meaning and purpose?" One well-crafted question, explored with intention, can illuminate what truly matters and inspire meaningful action.
FlourishTalk transforms wellbeing frameworks into daily practice through conversation—one question at a time. Whether you're reflecting personally, discussing with family, coaching clients, or facilitating groups, these questions bring the seven PROSPER pathways to life in practical, accessible ways.
Why PROSPER Matters
While many wellbeing frameworks exist, PROSPER stands out for several reasons:
- Evidence-informed and practical: Built on extensive research while remaining accessible for everyday application
- Comprehensive coverage: Addresses multiple dimensions of wellbeing rather than single factors
- Action-oriented: Each pathway suggests concrete practices and behaviors, not just abstract concepts
- Successfully implemented: Proven effectiveness in schools worldwide through the Bounce Back program
- Applicable across contexts: Though designed for education, the pathways apply equally to workplaces, families, and personal development
The Seven PROSPER Pathways
Each pathway in the PROSPER framework represents a distinct yet interconnected route to wellbeing and flourishing. Together, these seven pathways create a comprehensive map for living well:
P - Positivity
Cultivating positive emotions, optimistic thinking, gratitude practices, finding joy in daily life, maintaining hopeful perspectives, experiencing and expressing appreciation, building a positive mindset, and learning to savor good moments
R - Relationships
Nurturing meaningful connections, building high-quality relationships, developing social skills, fostering empathy and compassion, creating a sense of belonging, strengthening family bonds, cultivating friendships, and contributing to community
O - Outcomes
Setting and achieving meaningful goals, experiencing competence and mastery, celebrating accomplishments, persisting through challenges, developing grit and determination, tracking progress, building self-efficacy, and creating a sense of achievement
S - Strengths
Identifying personal character strengths, recognizing natural talents, applying strengths in daily life, developing abilities, building on what works well, celebrating uniqueness, using signature strengths, and fostering growth from strengths
P - Purpose
Finding meaning in life, connecting to something greater than oneself, discovering what matters most, aligning actions with values, contributing to worthy causes, understanding personal significance, living with intention, and creating legacy
E - Engagement
Experiencing flow states, becoming fully absorbed in activities, pursuing interests with passion, losing track of time in meaningful tasks, developing focus, creating optimal challenges, building concentration, and finding activities that energize
R - Resilience
Bouncing back from setbacks, developing coping strategies, managing stress effectively, adapting to change, learning from failures, building mental toughness, maintaining hope during difficulty, and growing through adversity
Who Benefits from the PROSPER Pathways?
Everyone seeking to flourish—because wellbeing is multidimensional and personal:
- Students of all ages developing wellbeing alongside academic learning
- Educators and teachers creating positive educational environments and modeling wellbeing
- Parents and families building household cultures where all members can thrive
- School leaders and administrators implementing whole-school wellbeing approaches
- Workplace professionals applying wellbeing principles to professional contexts
- Mental health practitioners using positive psychology approaches with clients
- Coaches and counselors facilitating others' growth across all seven pathways
- Community organizations promoting wellbeing in neighborhoods and groups
- Individuals on personal growth journeys seeking holistic wellbeing development
- Anyone experiencing challenges building resources for coping and flourishing
Why the PROSPER Framework Works: The Evidence
The PROSPER framework isn't just theory—it's grounded in extensive research and proven through successful implementation:
🔬 Research-Validated Impact
Evidence supporting the PROSPER pathways demonstrates:
- Successful implementation in hundreds of schools across multiple countries
- The Bounce Back program (built on PROSPER) won multiple prestigious awards including the Australian Educational Publisher's Award
- Improved student wellbeing, engagement, and academic achievement
- Enhanced school climate and sense of community belonging
- Reduced behavioral problems and improved social-emotional learning
- Greater resilience and coping capacity in students and staff
- Increased positive emotions and life satisfaction
- Stronger relationships between students, teachers, and families
- Higher graduation rates and educational attainment
The framework has been validated by researchers and educators alike, with surveys showing significant agreement on its usefulness as a common language for wellbeing and an instrument for informing evidence-based practice.
- Comprehensive approach works: Addressing all seven pathways creates synergistic effects greater than focusing on single elements
- Positive emotions matter: Research by Barbara Fredrickson shows positive emotions broaden thinking and build lasting personal resources
- Relationships are fundamental: Social connection predicts wellbeing more strongly than almost any other factor
- Strengths-based development is effective: Building on what's right creates better outcomes than fixing what's wrong
- Purpose provides resilience: Meaning in life helps people weather adversity and maintain wellbeing
- Engagement enhances learning: Flow states optimize both wellbeing and performance
- Resilience can be taught: Coping skills and adaptive strategies are learnable through practice
How FlourishTalk Brings PROSPER to Life Through Conversation
Understanding the PROSPER framework intellectually is helpful. Living it through daily practice is transformative. FlourishTalk provides carefully designed questions that activate each pathway:
Explore Positivity—One Question at a Time: "How do you cultivate positive emotions in your daily life?" or "What simple pleasures do you savor?" Questions that help you notice and amplify what's good.
Deepen Relationships: Use questions in family conversations: "What makes our relationships feel meaningful?" or "How do we show care and appreciation to each other?" Build stronger bonds through sharing.
Celebrate Outcomes: Reflect on achievement: "What accomplishments make you proud?" or "How do you persist when things get difficult?" Acknowledge progress and build competence.
Discover Strengths: Journal on: "What comes naturally to you that others find difficult?" or "When do you feel most capable and confident?" Identify and leverage your unique gifts.
Connect to Purpose: Explore meaning through questions like: "What gives your life sacred meaning?" or "What legacy do you want to create?" Find what truly matters.
Create Engagement: Discuss flow experiences: "What activities make you lose track of time?" or "When do you feel completely absorbed and energized?" Discover paths to optimal experience.
Build Resilience: Develop coping through reflection: "What helps you bounce back from setbacks?" or "How do you grow stronger through challenges?" Transform adversity into growth.
Explore All Seven PROSPER Pathways
Ready to PROSPER?
Begin your journey toward wellbeing and flourishing—one pathway, one question at a time