Cooperation with The Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University was initiated to implement the project: „Polish–Ukrainian Scientific and Methodical Collaboration for Supporting Improvement of The Prevention System and Educating Experts in Preventing Risk Behaviours in Children and Youth in Ukraine” („Polsko-ukraińska współpraca naukowo-metodyczna na rzecz wspierania rozwoju systemu profilaktyki i kształcenia specjalistów w zakresie przeciwdziałania zachowaniom ryzykownym dzieci i młodzieży na Ukrainie”). The project is implemented as part of: The National Health Programme for years 2016-2020, Operational objective No. 2. Preventing and addressing problems arising in connection with the use of psychoactive substances, behavioural addictions and other risk behaviours, Task 3. National programme for the prevention and addressing of alcohol-related problems, 3.5 International cooperation in the field of prevention and addressing of alcohol-related problems, Task at hand: International cooperation aimed at developing a system of prevention and education of specialists in the field of prevention of risk behaviours in children and young people in Ukraine. Entity in charge is The State Agency for The Prevention of Alcohol–Related Problems (PARPA). The project is implemented from 21/09/2017 to 15/12/2019. The amount of co-financing obtained is PLN 443.273.
The guiding idea and method of support are: support provided by Polish academics to academics and prevention practitioners as required to develop a concept of university education to prepare professionals for the implementation of preventive measures addressed to children and young people at risk of risk behaviours; presentation of Polish solutions which are the result of many years of experience in educating evidence-based prevention teachers, through a system of trainings (lectures, workshops and study visits), methodology seminars and developing scientific publications in Ukrainian. The main's project objective is development of a concept and module of education for study courses preparing students of the National Ivan Franko Pedagogical University in Drohobych, Ukraine to engage in the prevention of risk behaviours in children and adolescents (psychology /social work). Direct target groups: research and teaching staff responsible for the education of future personnel in charge of prevention of risk behaviours in children and adolescents at the faculties of Psychology /Social Work — 7 people; prevention practitioners active in the local environment of Drohobych to design the practical part of the education module (psychologists, therapists, people implementing prevention tasks in the local environment, e.g. teachers or clergy) — 7 people. Indirect target groups are Psychology and Social Work students preparing for prevention work in the local environment and other parties interested in improving the quality of teacher education for implementation of the prevention of risk behaviours in children and adolescents in the Ukrainian society (through academic publications prepared as part of the project). Persons involved are academic staff of the Faculty of Custodial Pedagogy and Social Prevention of the KWU (Bydgoszcz) and trainings to be delivered by academics specializing in evidence-based prevention (from the National Bureau for Drug Prevention, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw). The stages of the project are as follows:
Stage I: preparing university staff and prevention practitioners to develop an evidence-based concept and module of education for the prevention of risk behaviours in children and adolescents in line with education standards according to the principles of the Bologna System by:
- investigation of the specific types of social problems related to addictions in Ukraine and methods of addressing them;
- investigation of the personnel training system for the prevention of risk behaviours in children and adolescents and practical solutions used;
- alignment of the training offer for university staff and prevention practitioners / assessment of professional needs / knowledge and skills;
- development and publication of training material and 2 research works on evidence-based prevention.
Stage II: development of a module of education for students by:
- acquisition and development of knowledge of evidence-based prevention — participation in more than 100 hours of trainings;
- making prevention practitioners familiar with the specific characteristics of designing the education process based on international standards set out under the Bologna System;
- development of a common concept for the module of education and its preparation in selected study courses.
The implementation of the project contributed to the conclusion of a cooperation agreement between Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University and Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz. The aim of the agreement is to conduct mutual exchange of students, teaching staff and undertaking cooperation in the field of science, culture and education between universities. The agreement was concluded in March 2018.
