Social Inclusion Association is implementing the European Project “NO VIOLENCE, NO BULLYING, NO SILENCE” under the Erasmus+ framework and Greek NA (INDEVIM) from 31st of July to 6th of August 2019 in Athens , Greece.
According to latest statistics 19% of young people across Europe have been bullied, the highest rates being registered in Poland and Greece. Greece is the 4th country in Europe known for student bullying, only superseded by Poland. The past two years, there have been recorded a total of 251,640 cases of bullying all over the world.
The project followed the priorities of the Erasmus+ Programme for 2018 and more specific marginalized youth, the promotion of diversity, tolerance and freedom and through the respect for human rights. Youth workers from 7 countries: Greece, Italy, Poland, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania were going to debate various topics, such as: what bullying is, how it can manifest, and how can it be prevented, giving the opportunity to those who have suffered from being bullied to speak up for themselves and share their experience through examples.
The project aimed to address bullying in aspects of life and includes: verbal bullying (insults, mocking, threats), physical bullying (hits, beatings, inadequate touching), relational bullying (exclusion, spreading rumors), as well as indirect bullying (property theft, destruction, graffiti, vandalism). At the same time seeking to find concrete solutions to help the social integration and the increase of self-esteem of those who were victims of bullying.
The project brought together youth workers from 7 countries Greece, Italy, Poland, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania in order to find practical and sustainable solutions to minimize and stop the phenomenon of violence and bullying. In a European context, as well as in a national context, bullying occurs in increasingly atrocious ways, such as: street fights, bombings, insults, harassment, cyber bullying.
The project had a great impact on 42 participants, as they had the opportunity to work at an European level by interacting with concrete life situations through thematic visits to accredited institutions in order to fight against bullying. Also, participants had the chance to visit the Headquarters of Hellenic Police where valuable information about Bullying phenomenon in Greece were provided with statistics and examples by the experts from the Cyberbullying department.
The activities of the project included: conference, seminars, debates, thematic visits, open discussions, workshops, reflections, interactive games, roleplaying and meetings with specialists in the field of bullying and specialists in social integrations for youngsters.