Schools participating in the pilot project of the Mandaturi Service Psychosocial Support Center presented their reports
The directors of pilot schools in the regions of Tbilisi, Adjara, Imereti, Samegrelo, Shida Kartli, and Kvemo Kartli presented reports on the activities carried out and results achieved within the framework of the Psychosocial Service Center project of the Educational Institution Mandaturi Service. The online conference was attended by Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Ekaterine Dgebuadze, Head of the Educational Institution Mandaturi Service Gela Geladze, and other interested parties.
The long-term program for bullying prevention and social skills development was launched in pilot schools by the Psychosocial Service Center of the Mandaturi Service in the spring of 2019. The project covers issues related to the prevention of bullying, cyberbullying, techno-addiction, and substance abuse among students, as well as ensuring equal opportunities for integration into school life for all children, strengthening classroom environment management skills, and work focused on crisis management.
Within the framework of the project, interventions were implemented across all levels of the educational institution: teachers, administrative representatives, parents, and students of the pilot schools were trained.
With the aim of improving the school climate, a module for the identification of and response to violence (including bullying, cyberbullying) and risky behaviors was prepared within the project. Through this module, 12 employees of the Psychosocial Service Center and 571 employees of the pilot schools were trained. 112 teachers were selected to work with parents and students.
Rules and values for bullying prevention and response were developed. In this direction, 227 homeroom teachers/teachers of the pilot schools were trained. With the support of the center's staff, they trained 2,710 students.
In addition, a plan for parental involvement in school life was developed. 102 informational meetings were held, in which 1,630 parents participated.
For effective communication with students exhibiting "challenging behavior," the needs of teachers were identified. A rule and protocol for responding to crisis situations were also prepared; modules for managing group trauma, as well as identifying challenging behaviors and determining support needs, were developed, etc.
With the aim of preventing substance abuse, drug prevention programs were prepared for students over 13 years of age and under 13 years of age. Teachers and Mandaturi officers were trained based on these programs.
During the implementation of the program, the Mandaturi Service closely cooperates with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the European Union project "EU Actions against Drugs and Organised Crime (EU ACT)", the foundation "Global Initiative in Psychiatry - Tbilisi", and the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health.
