Prevention Day is today – the mental wellbeing of young people
On Wednesday, 6 October 2021, the Prevention Day will be held in most primary and secondary schools in the country. All youth clubs in Hafnarfjörður's primary schools will have a prevention-related programme for the occasion, and in the run-up to the day, educational trips and talks on the importance of prevention have been taking place in the youth clubs.
This year, the focus is particularly on the mental well-being of young people.
Today, Wednesday, 6th October 2021, is Prevention Day, held in most primary and secondary schools across the country. It takes place every autumn, with a special focus on young people in Year 9 of primary school and in their first year of secondary school. All youth clubs in Hafnarfjörður's primary schools will have a prevention-related programme for the occasion. Furthermore, in recent days and weeks, educational trips and talks on the importance of prevention, including in the youth clubs, have been taking place.
Top tips for all families
The theme for 2021 is the mental wellbeing of young people. According to research, various factors have a negative impact on mental wellbeing, and these include teenagers' consumption of energy drinks and nicotine, and insufficient sleep. The prevention day is dedicated to several pieces of advice that are relevant to all families in the country:
- Young people who spend at least an hour a day with their families are less likely to start using drugs.
- Young people who take part in sports and other organised youth activities are far less likely to fall victim to drugs.
- The longer young people delay starting to drink alcohol, the less likely they are to become addicted to drugs.
Prevention of self-harm and suicide – The BUILD project
The City of Hafnarfjörður takes its preventative role seriously and, for some time now, has been offering a variety of peer education within its primary schools. This approach has been well received by pupils, their parents and school staff. In November 2020, the BUILD (“Building Resilience and Brighter Futures”) project was formally launched. This project focuses on transferring and further developing prevention courses and experiential trials for 13-14-year-olds. The Pieta Foundation, in partnership with the City of Hafnarfjörður and partners in Lithuania and Ireland, received a 25 million króna grant through the EU's Erasmus+ education programme for this important project. The project aims to provide young people, many of whom experience suicidal thoughts or self-harm, with the tools to cope with various challenges in life, build perseverance and resilience, and enhance self-confidence and emotional skills. Pupils in Year 9 at secondary schools in Hafnarfjörður and Kaunas, Lithuania, will be offered a six-week prevention programme.
A group of staff; managers of leisure centres, careers advisors, psychologists and the manager of leisure activities travelled to Ireland in September and learned the curriculum.
Prevention is an ongoing collaborative project.
The aim of Prevention Day is to raise awareness of important aspects of prevention work. Prevention is an ongoing task that concerns both the general public and those responsible for societal decisions and policymaking. Findings from Rannsóknir og greining in 2021 show that 44% of 9th-grade students and 53% of 10th-grade students do not get enough sleep at night. Research also shows that those who drink more energy drinks are more likely than others to get less sleep. In the upper years of secondary school, results show that 74% of those who drink two or more energy drinks a day do not get enough sleep at night. The Prevention Day website includes information and videos about prevention. www.forvarnardagur.is. There, students can also answer a question. A winner will be drawn from the correct answers on 21 October. The prize will be presented at a ceremony at Bessastaðir later in the year.
Prevention Day is held at the initiative of the President of Iceland.
The Prevention Day is held widely abroad following the Icelandic model, as good results have been achieved in Iceland. The Prevention Day was first held in 2006 at the initiative of the President of Iceland. The day is a collaboration between the following: the President of Iceland, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, the Association of Icelandic Local Authorities, the City of Reykjavík, the Icelandic Olympic and Sports Association, the National Youth Federation of Iceland, the Association of Icelandic Scouts, and Research and Analysis.
Parents, guardians and all those involved in the affairs of children and young people in one way or another are encouraged to promote Prevention Day and take an active part.