From 26 to 29 November 2024, a training seminar on building life skills for safety and promoting a healthy lifestyle among general school students was held at the Forum Training Center near Minsk.
The seminar participants included trainers from educational development institutes in all six regions of Belarus and in Minsk; specialists from the Academy of Education and institutions for continuing education of adults, children, and youth; representatives from youth-friendly centers and UNESCO clubs, and from pilot schools involved in the innovative project Implementing a Model for Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle and Socially Responsible and Safe Student Behavior in the Modern Educational Environment.
The seminar was organized by the Academy of Education and the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs, with support from the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE). At the opening of the seminar, Natalia Schastnovich, Deputy Head of the Department for Global Policy and Humanitarian Cooperation of the Main Directorate for Multilateral Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Executive Secretary of the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, delivered a welcoming speech to the participants and organizers, emphasizing the importance of the event and the ongoing support for joint initiatives between UNESCO and its Belarusian partners from the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO.
As part of the seminar, trainers from educational development institutes and teachers from pilot schools conducted master classes on using the video lessons developed by the UNESCO IITE in partnership with the Academy of Education and the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs.
Marina Kateeva, a consulting psychologist, conducted several sessions that contributed to participants’ understanding of issues related to the socio-emotional development of children and adolescents, as well as strategies to help them recognize their own and others’ feelings and emotions, practice constructive communication, build confidence and healthy self-esteem, make informed decisions, determine their identity, and set and achieve goals.
Valentina Shukan, a psychologist, valeologist, and consultant on puberty and reproductive health for young men, as well as the head of the Doverie Youth-Friendly Center in Minsk, helped participants gain a deeper understanding of the teaching content focused on adolescence, reproductive health, and the importance of maintaining a responsible attitude toward one’s health.
Nadezhda Shorkina, a psychologist, educator, and UNESCO expert, maintained contact with the participants throughout all three days of the seminar. After the discussions on each topic, she presented the participants with related videos and sections of manuals that included lesson plans on these topics. A review of the content and teaching approaches for classes on preventing violence, bullying, and cyberbullying sparked considerable interest and stimulated lively discussions.
Elena Mikhalevich, Head of the Department for Methodological Support of the Educational Process in Educational Institutions at the Center for Social, Educational and Ideological Work of the Academy of Education, and Dmitry Subtselny, Chairman of the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs, led the seminar.
At the final session, Elena Mikhalevich presented sample training modules from a continuing professional development program for teachers titled “Building a Culture of Healthy Lifestyles and Socially Responsible Behavior Among Students.” Beginning in 2025, the Academy of Education and regional educational development institutes will incorporate these modules into continuing professional development courses for teachers.
Following a wrap-up session that summarized the seminar’s key takeaways, participants received certificates and shared their impressions of the event.
Lyudmila Tarashkevich, Head of the Center for Educational and Ideological Work of the Minsk Regional Institute for Educational Development:
“The seminar holds significant potential for me personally. Everything that was discussed, along with the methodological materials provided, has clear practical relevance and application. We work directly with teachers in the Minsk region, and we will incorporate the tools and resources provided during the seminar into our professional development programs. This will greatly benefit teachers by enhancing their teaching skills, supporting their work with parents, and, most importantly, benefiting their students.”
Elena Beridze, Director, Gymnasium No. 36 named after Ivan Melezh, Gomel:
“We are well aware that the United Nations has established 17 key Sustainable Development Goals. This workshop focuses on three important SDGs: Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being, Goal 4 – Quality Education, and Goal 5 – Gender Equality. Throughout the seminar, as we viewed the videos and studied the methodological manuals, we learned how to effectively convey these ideas to students in order to nurture a healthy generation with all the essential skills for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”
Galina Romanovskaya, Gymnasium No. 36 named after Ivan Melezh, Gomel:
“This seminar provided a great opportunity for the exchange of experiences between national educators and international experts. It is wonderful that the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, the Academy of Education, and the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs were able to bring together such knowledgeable speakers and specialists and prepare truly helpful and practical materials for teachers’ work! Raising children and adolescents who are prepared to lead responsible and safe lives is a matter of exceptional importance for any country, including Belarus. Supporting and promoting educational initiatives in this area will contribute to the creation of a safer and more just world.”
Olga Volkova, Vice Rector for Academic and Methodological Work at Vitebsk Regional Institute for Educational Development:
“Most importantly, this seminar offered us the opportunity to reflect on our inner state, to experience what it’s like to be a teenager, then a young adult, and then someone in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. We were also given the chance to find answers to questions that concern each of us. During professional development courses and thematic seminars, we will conduct sessions for teachers on promoting a healthy lifestyle among school students and helping them develop the necessary skills for this.”
Some seminar participants have already applied their knowledge in practice. Inna Dyukareva, homeroom teacher and teacher of Russian language and literature at School No. 10 in Borisov, shared her recent experience with UNESCO IITE:
“The very next day after the seminar, during a meeting with the parents of my class, I used the video ‘Age of Change.’ In discussing the video, I relied on the recommendations that Nadezhda Shorkina provided to us during the seminar. The parents actively participated in role-playing the situation using the intonation game, introduced during the seminar by Marina Kateeva. I also used excerpts from the book ‘Tips for Parents of Teens’ and from the Guidelines for Teachers on Conducting Interactive Classes on Healthy Lifestyles. Thanks to the seminar organizers who provided all materials on a flash drive, there was no need for me to search for anything, so I was able to quickly draw up a script for the session with parents.”
All educational and methodological materials used during the seminar and made available to its participants can be found here.