What is the rationale behind this project? The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment No 13 (2011) highlights that violence, harassment and bullying are unacceptable in any context and violate a range of human rights. Even if we believe that the obtained data regarding bullying represent just the tip of the iceberg, the researches’ findings show a significant increase of bullying in the last years. Child Helpline International (2012) involved 142 countries in their research and evidenced that in 2012 there were 251 640 cases of bullying worldwide, whilst in 2004 there were  67 142 cases of bullying. Furthermore the same research underlines that nine out of ten cases of bullying take place at school. On the other hand, relevant and updated studies (EU Kids Online, 2014) that involved 33 countries, including Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland and Italy, underline that students are more likely to be exposed to bullying and cyberbullying than in 2010 and a cohesive  and proactive strategy is needed in order to decrease the risk of being  bullied. Furthermore, bullying and cyberbullying have a negative impact on the child’s development, school and social life and the victims are likely to become more vulnerable, to suffer from depression, to encounter school failure and to face suicidal thoughts and behavioural problems (Asociatia Telefonul Copilului, 2014; McDougall and Vaillancourt, 2015).

As many child protection researches recommend, our project plans to approach online and offline bullying in a creative way that will help our students to develop their self-esteem and self-efficacy and to become more resilient (Daniel, B; Wassell, S. and Gilligan, R., 1999; The 8th European Forum on the Rights of the Child, 2013). Our project will act in a proactive and preventative way, helping the students to develop skills that matter. These skills will enable the students to manage more effectively the conflicts and will prevent bullying. Furthermore, the project will present to our students role models and will involve them in SmartClubs that propose attractive activities such as singing, dancing, sport activities, ICT and so on in order to support them to work with others, to appreciate their own worth, to be accountable for themselves and to act responsibly towards others (Daniel, B; Wassell, S. and Gilligan, R., 1999). On the other hand, we strongly believe that we need to approach the teachers, the community as well as the students’ parents in order to manage effectively offline and online bullying and we plan to offer them qualitative information and to involve them as active partners in our strategy.

Based on the needs’ analysis, the objectives of our project are:
1. To develop 3 skills that prevent online and offline bullying (effective communication, problem solving and creativity) for 1 000 students from 5 school partners.
2. To improve 1 250 students’ self-esteem and self-efficacy from 5 school partners.
3. To raise the awareness of 500 parents from 5 school partners regarding online and offline bullying.
4. To develop one model of good practice regarding the effective management of online and offline bullying.
5. To strengthen the capacity of 620 teachers to manage effectively online and offline bullying, whilst promoting participatory approaches and ICT – based methodologies.

Who are the partners?

 

1. Şcoala Gimnazială „Dimitrie A. Sturdza” Iaşi (Coordinating School)

Address: Strada Cetatuia, nr. 3, Iaşi, 700679, Romania

www.scoaladsturdza.ro, +40232 229 855

 

2. ou ’20 april’ (Partner)

Address: Address: Nikola Marekov 6 , Panagyurishte- 4500, Bulgaria

www.ou20april.com, +359035763116

 

3. Základní škola (Partner)

Address: Na Výsluní 2047, Czech Republic, CZ072 – Zlínský kraj

www.zsvysluni.cz, +420572634460

 

4. Istituto Comprensivo “Paolo Emiliani Giudici” (Partner)

Address: Viale Peppe Sorce, Italy, ITG1 – Sicilia

icgiudicimussomeli@tiscali.it, +390934952158

 

5. Publiczne Gimnazjum nr 1 w Strzelcach Opolskich (Partner)

Address: ul. Sosnowa 3, Poland, PL 52 – Opolskie,

glstrzelceopolskie.wodip.opole.pl, +48774049210