Against School Aggression Partnership
Against School Aggression Partnership – ASAP: Community based complex school program for effective prevention and treatment of aggression and bullying
ASAP - Against School Aggression Partnership is a project implemented and led by Partners Hungary Foundation in collaboration with SOS Malta, Partners Bulgaria Foundation and Szolnoki Szolgáltatási Szakképzési Centrum (Szolnok Centre of Counselling Training) and funded by the Erasmus Programme of the European Union.
ASAP’s aim is to reduce school aggression and bullying in schools while establishing and strengthening cooperation among different institutions that deal with the same student communities.
The project developed a model program, taking the form of a whole school approach, that offers an easy to adopt tool, for the reduction of school violence and bullying. This model was then tested in several secondary/middle schools, in the participating countries: Hungary, Bulgaria and Malta.
In Malta, the project was implemented in close collaboration with the Anti-Bullying Service and was based on the creation of a set of tools for preventing and tackling bullying. One of the tools used was an anti-bullying play developed by the Drama Unit, which was subsequently developed into an educational video – eTool – to be utilised as a classroom resource. This was complemented with a series of three lesson plans for the PSCD study unit, created by the Anti-Bullying Service, focussing on the three objectives:
- Raise awareness of persons involved in Bullying Behaviour and the feelings that emerge from the play.
- Raising awareness of the roles bystanders take: Empowering the Bystanders
- Awareness of safe usage of the internet and the dangers of online bullying. What can or cannot be done?
The project also promoted and provided trainings in alternative conflict resolution: restorative practices and mediation. These practices help prevent conflicts and minimise the occurrence of aggression, bullying and other behaviours and support professionals with the successful implementation of the ‘Addressing Bullying Behaviour in Schools’ policy. This culminated with an Action Day Against bullying - an activity which can be carried out as a whole school event. The workshop plan can be accessed here.
More about the implementation phase can be found in the ASAP Case Studies – Model Programme Implementation Guide and the Research Report.
Another achievement, as part of the ASAP project, was the creation of the Student for Student Support Team, from Pembroke Secondary; a group of 8 students who were trained in peer mediation.
Supported by the Anti-Bullying Guidance teacher, youth workers and counsellors in their school the Student for Student Support Team, managed to promote mediation in their school and encourage the younger students to reach out to them for support. As part of their promotion activities the group was assisted in the creation of a video portraying a taster mediation session.
SOS Malta has also conducted a research report to enhance the understanding of the current situation with regards to takling school aggression and bullying in Malta. This report was carried out in all three countries, Hungary, Bulgaria and Malta, to collect best practices and review the gaps and needs within the area. Upon research, we found that a great number of projects were created to fight school aggression and bullying. Relying on studies and experience, sustainable best practices are defined as those which: increase public awareness, improve the holistic approach of the issue, promote a sense of community and personal responsibility, and promote social-emotional learning. The report can be downloaded here: National Report Malta.
Part of the research carried out for the Maltese National Report, SOS Malta has also conducted a survey to have a better understanding of the current status with regards to policies and practices related to bullying, aggression and violence. You can download the results by clicking on the following link: ASAP - Survey analysis.
As a result of the ASAP Project the partners together with stakeholders came up with a set of recommendations for local desicion makers. The list can be found here.
Other intellectual outputs created under the ASAP project are:
- Local dissemination strategy
- Recommendations for EU decision makers
- EU dissemination strategy
For further information contact Raluca Colacel – Project Officer, SOS Malta
Tel: 21244123
E-mail: raluca.colacel@sosmalta.org