Education at home and at school, the role of each person within the community

Report from the working group B While introducing ourselves, each participants shared one risk which their felt is relevant for their child. Aggressive behavior in school (among the youth) Misuse of alcohol Big flooding, natural disasters Weather risks Traffic accident caused by a sick person Being able to manage risks Rejection like bulling of child in school Domestic risks Fire Child to be alone, carelessness, emotions Multi threats, terrorist threat

The objective of the working group on education is to understand how to help families and schools, to construct coherent messages regarding risk education. State of art research has shown that schools in different countries of Europe include different steps in risk education in their curricula, but nothing is said about the involvement of families. It has also been shown that institutions, parents and schools try to transfer to one another the responsibilities of communicating with children, accusing one another of the situation.

Question 1 What are the risks for people (e.g a child, parents, teachers and the community)? What is the “value” of the risk for a parent or a teacher? The perception of risks varies among different groups. The question is to find terms. For young ones risks might be attractive, not dangerous. The value of the risk changes, the child is conceptualizing the risk. Children are asked to take risks while growing. Children are sometimes amused by risks and this might play a role in growing up. Parents are concerning risks inside the school, but also on the school way and home surroundings. Teachers observing and concerning risks inside the school and on the school yard.

Question 2 / About parents’ and teachers’ statements: A. How does each perceive the other’s role? B. How do parents consider their own role in risk reduction education? C. How do teachers consider theirs? Through projects (health and security) parents and teachers can build common understanding.  Promoting safety and security (vs. prevention and risk education)

In France parents are afraid for teachers and other way around. A common values might be the door to start the discussion, these values are health, safety. In Bulgaria parents and teachers blame each other thinking that the other one is responsible of the child and his safety. Jointed (children, teachers, parents) picnics to build common understanding without fear and stress Same situation in other European countries (Finland)

Question 3 What are your personal ideas concerning ways of communicating with parents and relatives including grandparents, on the subject of risk education?  A grandparent is someone representing the former generation. Not necessary a real grandparent.  It’s not grandparents responsibility to educate the children at all. It’s parents’ duty at home and teachers’ at school.  The grandparents are the heard of the risk prevention when understanding the message is based on the memory.

Question 3 In Indonesia the moment in the afternoon when they are waiting their children from school they were shared same information than children were practicing during the school day. In Belgium good experiences educating children forehand, about six months before the risk is relevant in child’s life. To develop culture of anticipation. In France liaising booklet for the parents, the booklet include guidelines for emergency situation. Sms messages are used too. In Finland all messages are written in the internet.

Question 4 What kind of means to develop with the families in risk reduction education ? > involving first the parents and then the community - A booklet: Les risques majeurs et moi (“Major accidents and me”) given personally for the child - A role play where parents are playing pupils and some pupils acting as a teachers, learning and sharing could happen. - Home works (projects etc.) where parents could work together with their children. In same cases the children are placed in unequal situation, if their parents are not interesting in working with the child. - An experience of using children collecting data on parents perception of risks. - A question how much a teacher needs to use expert without loosing his legitimation. - If something happens and no experts around, teachers have to have the knowledge needed in the emergency situation! Teachers have to familiar with the school safety plans and able to act as a leader.

Question 5 A Specific Safety Plan for school Plan Particulier de Mise en Sûreté = PPMS in France This specific procedure to put people in safe places in case of major risks, developed for primary and secondary schools as well as for universities, has to prepare school staff, pupils, students and their parents to face a crisis before the arrival of emergency services. If an event takes place, if cellular phones don’t work, the problem is what to do with parents? The problem is to train parents to deal with the fact that in the event of a catastrophe, they will not be able to communicate with their children.

Interactive implementing in essential Other wise people especially children forget the main information. Training need to be regular (more often than once a year). This way tool might be effective. Red Cross: “Life Support Kit” Media has an important role in risk education, given time for competent person Same time media needs to be careful (not to distribute negative message)