Within the framework of the project, activities that took place in Greece include the organization of 3 different Capacity building training for Teachers in Athens and in Sparta (Peloponnese). A total of 25 teachers participated and thus were presented and trained on the activities and methodology promoted by yMind. It is worthwhile mentioning that one of the project’s main stakeholders in Greece is the “Counselling and Professional Orientation Centre (KESYP)” from the Ministry of Education in the district of Laconia (Peloponnese). KESYP is also member of the “District Action Group of Prevention in the Observatory of Violence”.
Moreover, during the course of the project a total of 304 students from 8 educational institutions covering all levels of initial education (Kindergarten, Elementary, High-School), in both public and private sector, have participated in the project’s activities as described in the Synopsis and Methodology Handbook developed for yMind. One of the workshops in Sparta, was conducted by a person who 10 years ago was himself a victim of bullying and has acquired a disability because of this.
Finally some of the opinions expressed during the 2 focus groups that took place so far are described below:
-Often students feel pressured by parents and teachers to study harder (sometimes they are not in good terms with them).
-The school system is demanding and as a result they do not have much free time.
-Students often feel stressed: for marks, from family issues and from other peers (social exclusion, for being teased or picked on, for not belonging in in the “cool” group ) etc.
-According to the majority of the girls two of the most prominent forms of bullying nowadays are cyberbullying and social exclusion. Mostly girls are affected by these.
-Students with learning disabilities (ie. dyslexia) feel that they are in a more difficult and different position one from the rest of the students.