Young people trained to recognise problems and seek help 

Hafnarfjörður stands with Pieta 

Nearly forty people from schools in the City of Hafnarfjörður attended a presentation on the new curriculum, held at the City of Hafnarfjörður recently. The Pieta organisation is running the project with the support of the City of Hafnarfjörður's Education and Public Health Department. BUILD is a 6-week preventative programme designed by psychologists based on conversations with young people to empower them in difficult situations, teach them perseverance and resilience, and provide them with coping strategies.

Taught in collaboration with Pieta

Ellen Calmon, executive director of the Pieta Association, says the project is vital. „This is an extremely necessary project and the aim of the Pieta Association is to minimise the number of clients in the future by teaching young people coping strategies,“ she says. 

„We are extremely grateful to the City of Hafnarfjörður for embracing this project so well. The city's professionals have contributed enormously to developing the teaching material. It has been a unique partnership and the city has taken this project to heart,“ says Ellen.  

Build an effective course

Stella B. Kristinsdóttir, manager of prevention and leisure activities for the City of Hafnarfjörður, says the course has been taught in the city's schools for the past few years. The teaching guidelines, along with a workbook to support the course material, have now been updated.  

„We got older coaches from the Build community and new ones together and went over the new curriculum which deepens the subject matter even further,“ she says.  

„We now have an even more effective 6-week preventative programme for 8th-grade pupils, after further developing the curriculum,“ she says. „A number of schools take part annually, and we always hold training courses like this to train people to teach the material.". 

A discussion of the big issues

Stella says it is proven that Build increases perseverance and resilience. „The basis of the course is to talk to young people about important issues in their lives, such as family, friends, and bullying, and to teach them to recognise when something in their environment is a problem. That way, they can better assess when they need to seek help. They don't stay with something they're unhappy about for too long, but instead get help,“ says Stella. 

Ellen says it is clear that this important preventative measure would not have flourished as it has, nor would it have been possible to invite other municipalities to take part, were it not for the professionals in the City of Hafnarfjörður. „We are extremely pleased with the collaboration.“ 

The next coaching course is in November

Stella says that nearly 25 now have coaching qualifications and that the next coaching course will be in November. The courses for children will then begin in the spring term.  

„We invite all schools to take part and encourage them to give their pupils the opportunity to acquire the skills that Build teaches.“