Since December 2018 Psy + Onlus has activated PRO.VI.DI., a project of prevention e contrast of the risky behavior in adolescence financed by the Lazio Region. The project intervenes on the thematic areas of risks associated with addictions and gender violence through the involvement of the pupils of the first grade secondary schools belonging to the Comprehensive Institutes "Via Giuseppe Messina", "Via Pirotta" and "A. De Curtis ”, located on the territory of the Municipality of Rome.

The project adopts one proactive perspective towards the well-being of adolescents, through activities aimed at improving their lifestyles and to raise awareness of their behaviors, in a moment of life in which there is a greater vulnerability and propensity to expose oneself to risks.

The program is divided into two paths replicated in all three schools:

• PRO.VI.DI. Dependencies: contrast to the spread of risky behaviors in order to prevent addictions, with particular reference to the improper use of the web;

• PRO.VI.DI. Gender-based violence: prevention of risks associated with gender-based violence.

Each path, in turn, includes three implementation methods:

• Information and discussion seminars aimed at guaranteeing correct information on the issue, stimulating reflection and the formation of critical thinking on risks;
• Experiential video-making workshops, aimed at enhancing students' cognitive, communicative and relational skills, as well as stimulating their passions, providing the basis for developing transversal skills;
• Counters for psychological listening, oriented to intercept and contain situations of hardship already in place.

The activities are carried out with an integrated, interactive and experiential methodology.

La peer education represents the “core” activity of the project, as it allows a more effective understanding and elaboration of the themes-object of the intervention, as experienced in previous projects conceived and implemented by Psy + Onlus in schools.

This methodology consists of an educational proposal in which some members of a group are trained to play the role of educator for the group of their peers, with the aim of reaching an active and shared elaboration of meanings. It is a set of methods whose use is oriented towards prevention and education through Participation and free and constructive dialogue between peers. Specifically, the peer education favors the improvement of relationships within the classroom, promotes the creation of mutual education and learning relationships. Learning therefore takes place thanks to active role of the boys who are part of the process and who are stimulated to exchange views and discuss the important topics proposed, associated with important aspects of their life. In this way the protagonists learn to be responsible and to be able to take on the task of solving problems that, up to that moment, they believed could be handled only by adults.

Thanks to the wide spaces for discussion offered to the participants, this approach also favors it development of emotional intelligence and empathy. Children are in fact stimulated to express their emotions, to build healthy relationships and to face conflicts as a positive moment, recognizing the social and cultural models of reference.
They are also used active methods: group discussions, role-playing games, brainstorming, scenarios, circle-times, laboratory activities which, in addition to involving all the participants, allow - unlike traditional face-to-face learning - to learn through "doing", guaranteeing deep reflection and metabolization of what one has lived as an experience.

These methods are used in conjunction with the support andactive listening, which allows an affective and emotional tuning with respect to needs and affects where there may be critical situations already in place.
The project will end at the end of March 2019 with the vision by the entire school community of the short film produced by the boys.

For more information: School Area Coordinator