2023 in a Nutshell

2023 in a Nutshell

Being Romania

 

Being Romania, a part of the Being Initiatives, represents an initiative dedicated to the mental health of young people, aiming to develop a national agenda for the mental health of young people aged 10 to 24 in Romania. It is supported by Grand Challenges Canada in partnership with the Canadian Government, Fondation Botnar, United for Global Mental Health, the National Institute for Health and Care Research – UK Aid, and the Science for Africa Foundation.

 

The BEING Romania project is coordinated by InIm Institute and supported in partnership with the Being Romania Consortium, which includes 8 other co-partners: the Positive Psychotherapy Association, Evocariera, the Cluj Youth Federation, Global Development, the Departments of Public Health and Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Babeș-Bolyai University, Oana Moșoiu (Life Learning), and Alina Cosma (Trinity College Dublin).

 

Through collaborative research, the project identifies the needs and opportunities in Romania’s mental health system, involving key stakeholders such as organizations, formal and informal groups, and relevant institutions. Project stages include co-design, gap analysis, consultation and engagement with stakeholders, network strengthening, and project conclusion. InIm Institute coordinates this initiative, managing connections with key stakeholders, developing the strategy and implementation plan, administering activities, handling legal and financial aspects, and ensuring effective communication among Consortium members.

 

To date, 15 events have been organized, involving consultations with 168 organizations and 207 individuals. The project is in its final stage, where the final report is being prepared for public release at the end of February 2024, representing a significant step towards improving the mental health system for young people in Romania.

Approval of the “Teacher’s Well-Being” Training Program

 

The “Well-Being of the Teacher” Training Program has received approval from the Ministry of Education, offering the opportunity to earn between 12-13 continuous professional development (CPD) credits. With a total duration of 36 hours, the program combines online synchronous training (15 hours) for an interactive experience and online asynchronous training (21 hours) to allow flexibility in time management.

 

This balanced program between theory and practice is based on neuroscience research and addresses topics such as mindfulness practices, resilience development, and well-being cultivation. The main goal is to support socio-emotional health while simultaneously improving pedagogical skills.

 

Within two weeks of the September announcement, over 1,000 high school teachers enrolled, and the first sessions began in early October.

 

Extended “Teacher’s Well-Being” Project

 

The Extended “Teacher’s Well-Being” Project was an initiative carried out in collaboration with 11 schools in the Jiu Valley and EduNetworks, with the main goal of developing the well-being of school communities. Over 6 months, the project included two distinct stages: the organization of the “Teacher’s Well-Being” course in January-February 2023 and the training of Well-Being Ambassadors (teachers and coordinators) in March-April 2023. Teacher teams were responsible for implementing activities to support well-being in schools, supported by coordinators in the activities conducted.

 

The final event, the Well-Being Festival, marked the end of the project by presenting the “Analysis of the Efficiency of the Extended Teacher’s Well-Being Project” study. The conducted research evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention in two stages to increase the well-being of teachers, concluding that real change in well-being occurs when specific well-being activities are implemented. The festival included presentations from the involved schools, practical workshops on well-being, and the recognition of the most remarkable contributions of participating schools in the extended project.

 

Detailed results of the efficiency analysis can be found at the link: https://iniminstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/studiul-Analiza-Eficientei-Proiectului-Extins-Starea-de-Bine-a-Profesorului.pdf

 

February – Well-Being Month

 

The Well-Being Month of the Teacher in February marked the fourth edition, focusing on the concept of belonging as the foundation of well-being in schools. Each week, the event addressed specific themes related to belonging, such as emotional safety, empathy, compassion, reciprocity, and common values.

 

Structured around these pillars, each week included challenges, thematic webinars, informative episodes about global well-being, weekly reflections, articles, and a book launch event, “The Teacher’s Guide Within.” Special guests such as Larisa Sohorca, Raluca Anton, and Nadia Tătaru shared their perspectives as specialists in well-being and belonging.

 

On February 4, 2023, the book launch of “The Teacher’s Guide Within,” written by Simona Baciu and Susan Shapiro, took place at Cărturești Iulius Mall in Cluj-Napoca. The event centered around a discussion about well-being, with Cristina Varo as a guest.

The Well-Being Month of the Teacher concluded with the announcement of the 5 winners of the contest held during the event.

Book Launch “The Teacher Within Guide; 100 Exercises for Living in the Present”

 

At the Cărturești Bookstore in Iulius Mall, Cluj-Napoca, on Saturday, February 4, 2023, the book launch of “The Teacher Within Guide: 100 Exercises for Living in the Present” took place, written by Simona Baciu and Susan Shapiro. The event, held under the umbrella of the “February – The Teacher’s Well-Being Month” project, featured Simona Baciu and Cristiana Varo, a psychotherapist and relationship coach, discussing perspectives on the well-being concept.

 

“The Teacher Within” guide offers teachers 100 practical exercises in breathing, meditation, and reflection to promote well-being, positively influencing the behavior and success of students. This resource supports teachers in self-awareness, managing difficulties, and making conscious decisions to improve well-being, both for themselves and their students.

Emotional Health Week

 

The third edition of Emotional Health Week took place between June 6 and 9, 2023, under the slogan “Together for Well-Being.” This year’s theme, “Let’s Connect,” emphasized the importance of a sense of belonging in developing well-being and socio-emotional health in the school environment. Over 4 days, participants were encouraged to connect through colors (Tuesday), connect through music (Wednesday), connect through gestures of gratitude (Thursday), and celebrate well-being (Friday).

 

A novelty this year was the teachers’ competition, allowing the registration of well-being activities carried out during the 2022-2023 school year. Teachers had the opportunity to enter five distinct categories: creative writing (poetry/story), music (song), dance (movement), painting or collage (painting/collage), and creative experiment (other ways of representing well-being). Registration was possible based on photos or videos posted in the dedicated Emotional Health Week group, providing a platform for sharing and recognizing efforts to support well-being within the school community.

Well-Being in Education: Connect. Belong. Be-Well

 

The event on November 9, titled “Well-Being in Education: Connect. Belong. Be-Well,” brought together directors, school counselors, and students in Cluj in a collaborative setting, focused on supporting socio-emotional health and a sense of belonging in their schools. Held between 12:00 and 3:00 pm at 13-15 Avram Iancu Street, Cluj-Napoca, the event was dedicated to developing an organizational culture centered on emotional safety and belonging within the Cluj school community, respecting and valuing members of school communities.

 

In an effort to respond to the increasing number of individuals facing socio-emotional difficulties, we committed to reinforcing the need for a sense of belonging and promoting effective initiatives at the level of the entire school community. Through a collaborative approach, we aimed to identify the needs of school communities and create sustainable strategies to support socio-emotional health and well-being in Cluj schools.

Together for the Youth’s Well-Being: A National Priority

 

The event on November 10, under the name “Together for the Youth’s Well-Being – a National Priority,” held between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on the same street, Avram Iancu 13-15, Cluj-Napoca, brought together active players in the mental health field for young people in Romania. This innovative meeting was organized in the context of the Being Romania Project, coordinated by InIm Institute and in partnership with numerous organizations and individual consultants such as the Positive Psychotherapy Association, Evocariera, the Cluj Youth Federation, Global Development, the Departments of Public Health and Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Babeș-Bolyai University, Oana Moșoiu (Life Learning), and Alina Cosma (Trinity College Dublin).

 

The purpose of the event was to explore and develop solutions together with active players involved in the project’s research activities to improve ecosystems supporting the mental health of young people in Romania. Faced with the alarming increase in the number of individuals experiencing mental difficulties, initiatives were proposed to support the mental health of young people, contributing to identifying innovative solutions and outlining future priorities.

No Comments

Post A Comment