Over the course of two school years, the Peer to Peer Players project aims to improve young people‘s knowledge on behaviours that can put their health at risk and to raise awareness of the importance of mutual support between peers. After the first year of activity at high schools in the city of Palermo, the growth process continues and it is hoped to keep on contributing to the promotion of young people’s health.
During the school year 2018/2019, a call for applications was launched in two high schools in the historic centre of Palermo, the Liceo Magistrale Statale “Regina Margherita” and the Liceo Scientifico Statale Benedetto Croce, for the selection of a group of students who would act as peer-counselors, in support of their schoolmates. Following their spontaneous candidacies, the young students were selected through an interview and chosen to provide a counselling service through an online platform and face-to-face meetings at their schools. The students were prepared to fulfil their role by taking part in a training course based on topics related to the world of the web and all the dangers that it contains, including psychoactive substances promoted online.
The students involved took part with seriousness, responsibility and enthusiasm in the path undertaken and, supervised by a team of web experts and psychologists, initiated the online and in-presence counselling service by answering the requests received, in a confidential manner, through the platform and by organising moments of information and discussion with their classmates.
During the same school year, a research study was conducted to collect data on the knowledge and behaviour of young people regarding the use of the web, the use of dangerous sites and the consumption of psychoactive substances that are harmful to health. Specifically, a questionnaire examining the lifestyle of about one thousand young people was administered, which allowed the mapping of risks in order to identify the most important issues to be addressed together with young people.
At the same time that the training and information days were held in schools in the historic centre of Palermo, and that the counselling service was launched through the creation of the platform, an ideas contest was launched too, open to all high school students in the city of Palermo, in order to contribute to the creation of a game App promoting a responsible use of the web and the prevention of the use of psychoactive substances harmful to health, in order to raise awareness of risk behaviours among young people.
The ideas contest has been finalised and, after the having analysed the ideas received, the two winning students have been selected. The winners will be awarded one tablet each, symbol of the knowledge of the web as a resource to be used in a conscious way. The two students will receive their award shortly, as the game App will be completed by experienced developers.
During the school year 2019/2020 events to promote the game App, which will be a serious game, will be held in order to involve the students so that they continue to increase their awareness of the importance of protecting their psychosocial health.
The project will continue promoting the protection of young people’s health through the online platform and through other informative sessions at different high schools in the city of Palermo, with the aim of reaching at least three hundred students, to be able to share and exchange with them experiences concerning the responsible use of the web.
About the project
Peer to peer players is a two-year project, funded by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Drug Policies Department.
Partners
Project partners are:
- CESIE (coordinator);
- Associazione Identità Sviluppo Integrazione (I.S.I.) Onlus;
- Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e della Formazione dell’Università degli Studi di Palermo.
For further information
Read more about the project.
Contact cooperazionelocale@cesie.org
