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In Poland and Romania, the prevention programme has worked with Ukrainian refugee youth and their local peers. In order to support the positive behaviour change to be embedded to young person's life parents play an important role.

Parents’ meetings

The latest studies in positive health prevention have revealed the importance of parental engagement, which is why the project teams also organized meetings with the parents of children and teenagers participating in the Life Skills education program. In total, 318 parents were reached, which happens to be the same number as youth engaged in the project and can be considered a great success given the challenge in engaging parents in any voluntary gatherings. 

The parents’ meetings served as a crucial platform to introduce the project’s main objectives, with a strong emphasis on the essential complementary role parents can play in prevention. The meetings also underscored the importance of parents prioritizing their own mental health and self-care—not only to provide the best possible support for their children but also to serve as positive role models. Another key topic of discussion was the increasing prevalence of substance-related and behavioral addictions among youth today. 

While initial parental engagement was slow and attendance at the first meetings remained low, trust in the project has steadily grown, leading to increased participation. In Romania, this progress has been particularly evident, as parents have taken the initiative to organize themselves into citizen groups, staying connected and supporting each another through WhatsApp communication. 

The current project funding is coming to an end in May 2025 and we seek new donors to our work. If you know new opportunities to us please contact us!

Thank you for your valuable support!