The Institute for Health and Environment maintains regular collaborations with public institutions in the Municipality of Ljubljana to implement preventative programmes focused on health and non-chemical addiction prevention for young people. In 2023, we are pleased to announce that we will continue our efforts in implementing these preventative programs in primary and secondary schools across the Municipality of Ljubljana, in partnership with No Excuse Slovenia.
The Peer Violence programme aims to address the increasing prevalence of violence among primary and high school students, particularly in the form of psychological and cyberbullying, through interactive activities that equip students with skills to resist violence and promote a safer school environment. In 2023, the programme was expanded to offer schools a choice of modules tailored to their students' needs.
The Young People's Self-Esteem programme focuses on body image and includes modules adapted for different age groups to help teenagers cope with social pressures related to appearance and prevent the development of eating disorders and unhealthy attitudes towards their bodies. The programme also encourages critical evaluation of media pressures related to beauty standards.
The Non-chemical Addictions programme was updated in 2023, with schools offered a comprehensive programme featuring modules on addiction to the internet, video games, and gambling. The programme aims to promote smart and balanced use of technology, with an emphasis on emerging forms of addiction and associated disorders. The gambling module focuses on addressing key deficiencies in young people's knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards gambling, including misconceptions about chance and probability, decision-making skills, and understanding the house edge. In 2023, a pilot programme on addiction to computer games will be introduced. In the past, we only implemented programmes in high schools with boys, but in 2023 we will also implement the programme for girls, as we have identified the need for it based on our past experience and discussions with educational professionals.
The implementation of programmes in 2023 is co-financed by the City Municipality of Ljubljana.
