From 18 to 23 March 2022, the Alliance of Active NGOs in the field of Child and Family Social Protection (APSCF) organised two training sessions aiming to develop the capacities of partner CSOs for bullying prevention and evidence-based advocacy.
n the first stage, over 30 representatives of the organisations participating in the project had the opportunity to decipher the terms of bullying and cyberbullying, and learn about the forms of these phenomena, their triggers, the difference between bullying and violence, and identified intervention strategies in bullying situations. Together with the psychologist Crasnojon-Laba Ina, the participants analysed case studies and simulated the development of an action plan to prevent the phenomenon. One conclusion of the session was that the term bullying – and its management – needs to be widely publicised, as it is clear that the phenomenon is little known even among employees in the field of social protection and education.
The second session was held on March 23, and aimed to empower civil society organisations to implement effective, evidence-based advocacy initiatives against bullying and cyberbullying. The trainer Oxana Miron, an advocacy expert, informed the participants about different advocacy strategies, best practices in the field, and made references to the legal framework (EU / Republic of Moldova).
In order to consolidate their knowledge, the participants were given practical examples and were trained in drawing up an advocacy plan. The trainer emphasised that the success of an advocacy campaign depends on knowing the law and legal procedures, good information on the subject, identifying the problem, beneficiaries and opponents, developing a clear vision, and drawing up a plan with realistic objectives. Access to secure data and human as well as financial resources is another important factor in conducting an effective evidence-based advocacy campaign.
In conclusion, the representatives of the CSOs partnering in the project found the information valuable and useful for their core activities.
The trainings were carried out within the project “Together for Quality Education“, implemented by APSCF, with the financial support provided by the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED).