North Macedonia follow up

The representatives of our group Teodora Rajkoska, Sandra Jovanovska and Maja Jordanoska gathered on November 26th in Bitola, North Macedonia together with some local youngsters and children, that were interested in the topic and came to learn more about how to prevent bullying in future. The purpose of our workshop was to highlight how important is the topic nowadays, because we encounter it everywhere around us, especially the youngest ones. Оur aim was to convey to the participants more detailed information about bullying that we adopted during our training course CREACTION (21-30 October) which took place in Pissouri, Cyprus, and to make them more conscious about it, as well as show them some strategies which they could use them in future, in case they find themselves in such a situation with the aim of timely prevention.

Here's a brief summary of our workshop:

- Welcoming the participants with a positive attitude;

- Explaining the purpose of our workshop which was divided in 4 sessions: to understand better bullying, to raise awareness about potential threats, discuss the consequences that can happen and try to prevent them from happening with some strategies;

- After the sessions we had a discussion where we had a possibility to share some personal experiences that have happened to us during our life;

- At the end, we showed to them the photos from our project and explained to them more about the location where it was happening, as well as about the cypriot culture and traditions.

1. Understanding Bullying

- Definition and types of bullying (verbal, physical, social)

- The impact of bullying on individuals as well as communities

- Provided examples to illustrate different manifestations of bullying

*As an example we explained the session we had with different scenarios where we had to act and present different types of bullying through our theatre performances, we showed to them the photos and videos from it, all in all they were overwhelmed.

2. Recognizing the signs of Bullying

- Identify the common signs of bullying

- Discuss behavioral changes and emotional indicators

- Emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing these signs promptly

*After this session we made a quick exercise, similar one to the workshop we had in our project where we were divided in groups, each with different disability and shared our feelings after it.

3. Consequences of Bullying

- Highlight the short-term and long-term consequences of bullying on victims

- Discuss the broader impact on the overall community and societal well-being

*We showed the most typical examples that are happening in our countries, usually among the youngsters while school time.

4. Strategies for Prevention

- Introduce effective anti-bullying strategies and prevention methods

- Encourage open dialogue and communication as a preventive measure

*After this session we explained the bubble method we have learnt during our project. It's important everyone to be aware of their own bubble and try to take care of their personal space, the space where a person feels safe and comfortable, all in all to know their own boundaries in order to protect themselves in case someone tries to invade their privacy.

At the end, we summarized and gave some key points. We opened the floor for questions and encourage the participants to share some of their personal experiences. Also, there was a discussion about how individuals can contribute into creating a bully-free environment.

Dissemination Links for participants and NGO

FeedBack from the participants of North Macedonia

Sandra Jovanovska: I am very happy that I had the chance to be part of this project in Cyprus again. Considering my previous experience, I didn't even doubt the project, but I can say that this project even exceeded my expectations. Various motivating workshops of every type, trainers who selflessly try to transfer their knowledge in an informal way (a big thanks to Erma and Dimitris for their work), participants of every age with very interesting stories, all in all a positive experience in terms of growth and self-improvment. Apart from the motivating workshops on anti-bullying, we also had time for fellowship between us participants every day, where we exchanged our experiences and stories while we sunbathed on the beach. I have made many new friendships with whom I hope to keep in touch in the future. Huge thanks to Nikolas and his organization Acpelia who made it possible for me to be part of the project, from my side only praise for your work, congratulations, keep it up. I hope for the next project as soon as possible.

Teodora Rajkovska: The CREACTION project in Cyprus helped me to deal with my emotions through the activities I practiced. Also, The activities were engaging, interactive, and very useful for the future purposes. Thanks for the opportunity for being part of the project.

Maja Jordanoska: I am very satisfied with the whole project. This project was an unforgettable experience for me. I learned a lot of new things about anti-bullying thanks to the trainers, as well as by exchanging experiences with other participants. Since it was my first time in Cyprus, I learned a lot of new things about the country, their culture and traditions. A huge thanks for the overall organization, I hope to see you all again in future.

North Macedonia follow up

Dissemination Links for participants and NGO

FeedBack from the participants of North Macedonia

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