General

In Greece there is a 15 years' experience in the implementation of prevention and health education projects.

Movement "PROTASI" in cooperation with the Public Secondary Education in the prefecture of Achaia and some other agencies has got an important presence in the materialization of almost all types of health promotion projects and thus has got a great experience. During these years the conclusions which have been derived after the evaluation of health promotion projects and the experience which has been obtained about the understanding of school reality showed that there were many difficulties in the implementation of such projects like:

• The already heavy school curriculum attended to students could not assimilate hours for health promotion projects.
• There was a completely different way of teaching the school subjects (teacher-centrated) in comparison with the health promotion projects (experiential education)
• The time spent on health promotion projects was little so as to give results in changing attitudes and behaviors of students.

These conclusions led us to think and plan a project which would take in consideration the above and would act as a functional and effective project.

Aim

The creation of a favorite climate in class which would allow:

• the improvement of skills and potentials of students in energetic action,
• the expression of emotions and sentiments
• the communication

With these actions we aimed at the reduction of school stress, the empowerment of the students' ability to think and act positively avoiding to experiment with illegal substances or other dangerous behaviors.

Goals

• The functioning of a school class as a group.
• The involvement and exploitation of all the school subjects in the project and vice versa so as the students to get an holistic approach of health promotion in knowledge and life.
• Training and facilitation of students in problem solving and dealing with emotion and situations such as anger, stress, substances consumption etc.
• Creative occupation of students.
• Obtaining of knowledge and information about substances.

Methodology

• Involvement of the group in all levels- from planning, final implementation to evaluation.
• Experiential education (teachers, students, parents). Techniques such as role playing, theatrical games, drawing etc.
• Energetic education
• Counseling
• Standardization of material project.

Implementation

The project lasted all the school year 1998-1999 with the participation of 14 teachers, 194 students from 4 high schools in Patras and the prefecture of Achaia. The facilitators of the teachers were Mr. Vasilis Passas Director of the Scientific Committee of "PROTASI" and Mrs. Klio Barou the Director of Health promotion in the Secondary Education of Achaia.

The training of the teachers lasted 100 hours including seminars, counseling, group meetings.

Conclussions

• The Health Education and Promotion projects were proved to work harmonically in the curriculum with the school subjects (maths, languages, chemistry etc.)
• The implementation of Health Education projects with the certain methodology proved to promote the goals of Prevention, health promotion and teaching practice.
• The school community needs to be aware, to be trained and supported so as to obtain positive attitudes for health promotion.
• The approaching of parents was the most difficult part of the project and it needed more elaboration and effort.
• The material which was concentrated out of this project and was printed can become precious help to encourage other teachers who would be interested to implement a project like this.

Comments

We estimate as exceptionally positive the fact that although the continuation of the project was not funded this year by the ministry of Education, the teachers decided to continue their work in health promotion with the support of "PROTASI" for two more years.

The personal growth of teachers as well as the improvement of their students in school life is a very strong motive which activates their eagerness to continue.

The project inspired their vision for a school open to life and action.

Movement PROTASI (A volunteer organization working in Primary Drug Prevention in local society of Patras, Greece)

protasi@pat.forthnet.gr

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