Workshops and prevention for students

Prevention involves many actions, with a particular emphasis on shaping a child’s personality and supporting their development. Such an approach is based on the belief that one of the basic sources of educational problems and a child’s social maladjustment are deficits in emotional development and improper adaptation to roles, as well as living conditions. Child development and their independence bring many risks. Therefore, it is necessary to equip children with the skills to predict and avoid dangers, as well as cope with difficult situations.

The PRO-FIL Foundation team has been engaged in prevention activities for 15 years. During this time, hundreds of workshops have been conducted for children and young people. The Foundation’s activities are supported, among others, by UNICEF, the United Nations, the National Center for Counteracting Addictions, the Education Board, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, and the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy. Our goal is to effectively carry out actions that protect children and young people from engaging in risky behaviors. Our original prevention programs complement School Education Programs and School Prevention Programs. The workshop format involves using a wide range of activities, including art therapy elements, group work, task solving, games, multimedia project implementation, and discussion. Such activities also have a positive impact on group integration. During the workshops, the class team is diagnosed, both in the context of the group and individual units. Then, after the classes, a discussion with the class teacher takes place to review the work.

Psychological Skills Training

Workshops aimed at increasing the ability to establish positive interpersonal relationships with children and youth. Within this workshop, the following topics are covered:

• Elements of good communication – practical exercises in pairs and subgroups;
• Motivation – ten effective ways of self-motivation for learning and work;
• Stress – techniques for coping with stress;
• Assertiveness in interpersonal relationships – practical exercises.

Effective Communication

Preventive and educational activities aimed at educating about effective communication. Within this workshop, the following topics are covered:

• Constructive dispute resolution – learning through simulated negotiation games;
• Learning ways to deal with anger – positive methods of expressing anger;
• Skills to relate experienced emotions to a specific situation or person;
• Developing skills for identifying and naming the emotions experienced by students;
• Awareness of one’s own emotions and feelings;
• Developing the ability to work collaboratively in a group.

Preventing Aggression and Peer Violence

Preventive and educational activities aimed at preventing acts of aggression and violence among students. Within this workshop, the following topics are covered:

• Psychoeducation on expressing emotions;
• Constructive dispute resolution – learning through simulated negotiation games;
• Discussion of types of violence – physical, psychological, economic, sexual;
• Learning ways to deal with anger – positive methods of expressing anger;
• Skills to relate experienced emotions to a specific situation or person;
• Developing skills for identifying and naming the emotions experienced by students;
• Awareness of one’s own emotions and feelings;
• Familiarization with the legal and moral consequences of violence.

Prevention of alcohol addiction

Workshops aimed at preventing alcohol consumption and working on false beliefs and stereotypes about the consequences of alcohol consumption. The following topics are covered in this workshop:

• Diagnosis of risky behavior;
• Reasons and motivation for youth to consume alcohol;
• Analysis of the harmful effects of alcohol and the losses it can cause;
• Working on myths about alcohol and alcohol addiction;
• Stages of alcohol addiction; Alternative ways of spending time.

Prevention of computer and phone addiction

Workshops aimed at preventing the dangers of excessive use of computers and phones. The following topics are covered in this workshop:

• Diagnosis of the problem scale in the area of excessive use of new media;
• Work on the benefits and losses of excessive use of new media;
• Mechanisms of addiction to new media;
• Alternative ways of spending leisure time.

Prevention of drug and designer drug addiction

Workshops aimed at preventing drug and designer drug addiction and addressing false beliefs and stereotypes regarding the effects and consequences of using psychoactive substances. The following topics are covered in this workshop:

• Diagnosing risky behaviors related to the consumption of psychoactive substances;
• Reasons and motivations for children and adolescents to use psychoactive substances;
• Drugs and designer drugs – similarities and differences;
• Analyzing the harmful effects of psychoactive substances and the damage they can cause;
• Working on myths about addiction;
• Understanding the functioning of addicted individuals and their environment;
• Stages of drug and designer drug addiction;
• Providing information on the positive aspects of a healthy lifestyle;
• Alternative ways to spend free time.