Empowered children influencing the school in crisis (A case study of University students' involvement in assisting pupils' Health promoting school projects)

Niños fortalecidos influyendo la escuela en crisis (Un estudio de caso por estudiantes universitarios involucrados en asistir a alumnos en sus proyectos de promoción de la salud )

In conditions of general existential uncertainty and growing tensions in the Balkan region, the psycho-social projects in Macedonian schools became a means for developing strategies for coping with critical life conditions, which, in turn, brought new meaning to the concept of health and health promotion. The inclusion of pupils in projects planned and implemented by themselves was one of the strategies aimed at changing their passive role and instigating their genuine participation in improvingschool atmosphere and in enhancing mental and emotional health, thus fostering children's abilities to cope with real life situations.

The main objective of the pupils' projects was to develop the action competence for which they needed to increase their knowledge, commitment, vision and experience of action, i.e. to take on an active role in the process of changes. This included:

• Transforming the childrens role embraced by the traditional meaning of the notion "pupil", into active and meaningful individuals by replacing the actual way of working "for them" with working "with them";
• Expanding the awareness of having the right to choose by including children into decision-making processes regarding school community;
• Development of self-confidence, mutual support and collaboration;
• Learning to listen the others "actively" and to respect different opinions;
• Clarifying perceptions for own and other's needs, which leads to competence for the making right choice in specific moments (especially in conditions of crisis);
• Developing action competence through childrens participation in their own health promoting school projects. Methodology of developing childrens' projects: Assisting children to work on their projects was highly participatory. S - IVAC approach (adapted from B.B. Jensen, 1995) was introduced, helping children go through four stages: S-selection, I- investigation, V- vision, A- action and C- change in developing their own projects. Results - in childrens' statements:
• "It made it easier for me to make decisions in life; to tell freely what's insufficient in our school."
• "I feel more valuable, meaningful and useful."
• "By working on this project we did not feel as pupils, but we felt as persons, because you listened to what we have to say."
• "If teachers knew what this work means to us, they would have supported us, but the support I get from other pupils is much more important to me."