Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Violent Behavior in Schoolchildren
Studies on peer violence in schools almost consistently show that schools where children feel accepted and valued have a lower risk of widespread occurrences of bullying behavior among children. A significant part of the activities of the Wings of Hope Foundation is focused on creating an environment that will be supportive for all its students. The Wings of Hope Foundation continues with the project titled ”Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Violent Behavior for Schoolchildren,” which is supported this year by the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo.
The goal of the project is to increase awareness among all participants in the school process about the problem of peer violence, its causes, and negative consequences, as well as the early identification and treatment of violent forms of behavior, and the provision of psychological support to victims of violence. In addition to individual and group counseling work with children and parents, the project this year included additional activities involving the broader school context in solving the problem of violence among children. These additional activities included education for the teaching staff of both schools and the creation of peer support groups in both schools.
The education of teaching staff covers topics related to the prevention of peer violence, with a focus on cyberbullying, as well as education on the importance of developing a positive classroom climate and greater cohesiveness among students.
The second activity focused on creating a more positive and safer environment for children is the organization of so-called peer support groups. Peer support groups aim to provide direct support to victims of peer violence, draw the attention of the entire school community to the problem of violence among children and youth, and organize school events and workshops that promote positive values and create a climate of ”care” within the school community—one that does not tolerate violence and provides a safe environment for everyone involved. Through ten educational workshops, all members of the peer support group had the opportunity to learn in more detail about the problem of violence among children and youth, the factors contributing to its occurrence, as well as the possibilities for direct and indirect intervention in individual cases.
Two schools from the Sarajevo Canton, known for their active commitment to the constant improvement of the educational process, are participating in the project. These are the elementary schools “Čengić Vila I” and “Grbavica II.”
The project is supported by the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo.