Children First, Summer 2006: Preventing Violence Against Children
Peer intervention as a strategy against playground tension.
Photographs by Rana Mullan © UNICEF Turkey 2006
The Ministry of National Education (MONE) has incorporated the primary components of Children First, providing parenting education for families with 7–19 year–old children and life–skills based education for adolescents, into a national strategy to establish a protective environment for children by:
- preventing violence in schools;
- improving communication between parents and adolescents;
- empowering children to resolve conflict between themselves and adults without resorting to violence.
The child–friendly school provides an inclusive, healthy and protective environment for children — free of bullying and violence.
Photograph by Rana Mullan
© UNICEF Turkey 2006
A workshop organised in May aimed to consolidate gains made at the First International Symposium on Violence in Schools by developing a national plan of action. The plan identified four main areas of intervention to be implemented over the next five years — to which Children First will contribute by providing life skills training for adolescents and parenting education through the My Family package.
Teachers
Teachers can often be involved in acts of violence — either as victims or the source of the problem — so the first area identified was violence by and against teachers. The action plan envisages a nationwide programme of training and supervision that will build the capacity of all teachers and administrative staff to positively influence student behaviour by example. A crucial point would be to reduce the number of students per classroom to roughly 21 students per primary school class and 24 per secondary class.
Both teachers and parents have an important part to play in eliminating violence from schools.
Photograph by Rana Mullan
© UNICEF Turkey 2006
Family and Community
As the source of much general disturbance to fellow students and often teachers also, the influence and behaviour of bullying gangs can be defused through a zero–tolerance neighbourhood policy. The success of such a policy would depend upon a positive and closely woven relationship between the school, families and the wider community. Families with poorly behaved children should be targeted for interventions to help resolve conflict and tension that may be driving their child’s violent behaviour.
School Administration
Students are more willing and able to work with a child–friendly administrative structure that includes their parents and the community. Implementation of a child–friendly schools (CFS) approach not only encourages better academic performance but it also attracts community involvement through a consistent programme of social events such as sports days, theatre events and of course meetings between parents, students and teachers.
Students
Inadequate coping mechanisms, poor self–confidence, lack of mediation and negotiation skills, poor academic performance and the negative influence of the environment are classic causes of the stress and frustration that students will more often than not express through violence. The most effective method of dealing with this vicious circle is to reduce the impact of the environment by empowering students and their families, raising their awareness of the negative effects of violence and improving their life skills to communicate, negotiate and resolve conflict.
Sports and recreational activities are a positive influence on student behaviour.
Photograph by Rana Mullan © UNICEF Turkey 2006
Student attitudes towards violence can be effectively influenced through CFS and psycho–social approaches that would fit in comfortably with the objectives of the action plan without additional tailoring. The development of life skills training and peer group support for adolescents is one of the key activities of the Children First project. A training package for parents of 7–18 year–olds is also in development as part of the My Family programme.
Media Participation
The role of the media in generally promoting violence while sensationalising violent incidents within the school environment was a prominent theme of discussion at the Symposium. Although the plan of action does not include media participation, their involvement would be a positive force in establishing peer training for children and adolescents and disseminating good practices in reducing school based violence.
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CHILDREN FIRST,
YAZ 2006
Download the Children First Bulletin, Summer 2006 edition, in pdf format. [PDF 2.16MB]
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