Safe school. New practices are being implemented in Chernihiv

Chernihiv schools will apply restorative approaches in the educational process to create a safe educational environment for students. This was discussed during the forum “Safe and Peaceful School” in Chernihiv.

The event was initiated by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

More than fifty educators, representatives of school self-government, public activists, police officers and representatives of local authorities gathered to get acquainted with the concept of a restorative approach to the formation of safety at school, advanced practices of the educational process used in the prevention of adolescent aggression and antisocial behavior among young people, and discussed the possibilities and ways of adapting this experience in Chernihiv.

An expert from the Institute of Peace and Understanding, Yelizaveta Koval, spoke about the “Peaceful School” model, which will be implemented in selected schools in 5 pilot regions of Ukraine.

“The most important and noticeable result of the introduction of a new approach to education is the reduction of the number of conflict situations at school due to the acquisition by all participants in the educational process of skills and abilities to express their own opinions without conflict, constructively manage emotions, make joint agreed decisions, solve problems and the ability to cooperate with other people,” emphasizes

Yelizaveta Koval

.

In turn, representatives of the patrol and juvenile police shared the experience of the School Police Officers in Chernihiv.

According to

Alina Palub

, public relations inspector of the Patrol Police Department in Chernihiv region, the school police officers are approached every day by the administrations of educational institutions of the city with a request to conduct preventive and educational activities for children in schools and kindergartens.

“As school police officers, we conduct interactive activities to explain the Rules of the Road, provide medical assistance, and apply basic elements of self-defense,” said

Alina Palub

.

The importance of preventive work with adolescents was also emphasized by the head of the juvenile prevention department of the preventive activities department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Chernihiv region

Olga Pankratova

.

In carrying out educational and preventive work among children, measures to prevent the use of alcohol and narcotic substances are important. Thus, the invited expert

Valeriy Ryabukha

, head of the public organization “Prevention Center “Vybir” shared his experience in preventing risky behavior among children in schools in Chernihiv and the region.

Chernihiv already has positive experience in implementing School Understanding Services as one of the restorative practices for resolving conflicts between participants in the educational process. This was reported by the program manager of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights

Kateryna Dankova

.

The Forum participants had the opportunity to watch a short film about the experience of implementing this institute in 3 pilot schools of Chernihiv, where student mediators talk about their successes and difficulties that arise in the activities of School Understanding Services.

“This year we plan to develop this program on the basis of other educational institutions of the city. Therefore, one of the goals of the Forum is to motivate educators and students to join such an initiative,” – noted

Kateryna Dankova

.

At the end of the event, representatives of school administrations and school self-government expressed their proposals and needs for the implementation of joint projects or initiatives, and the conduct of preventive and educational campaigns.

The event was organized by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights in cooperation with the Patrol Police Department of the Chernihiv Region as part of the implementation of the project “Safe Chernihiv – Result-Oriented Cooperation” with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.