Successful Self Esteem Program in Slovenia

The Institute for Developing Personal Quality was founded in 1997 as a non-profit educational, publishing and research organization. Our purpose it to promote the awareness of the importance of Self Esteem and personal responsibility in all fields of human activity: in interpersonal relationships, parenting, education and working environment.
Our activities are aimed at releasing human potential through developing personal characteristics that are the foundation of creativity, self-confidence, self-respect and intrinsic motivation, thus assuring the quality of human existence. This will result in recognizing and using the potential of individuals, organizations and society as a whole.
Building Affective School Environment  –  A SUCCESFUL MODEL
As in other parts of the world problems of modern society have been increasing also in Slovenia. Unfortunately various forms of violence and addiction, including alcohol and drug abuse, have become part of our everyday life. For this sad reality we blame bad company, availability of drugs, family problems, considerable pressures from environment…
One of the successful and proven prevention programs that helps young people develop resilience, responsibility and healthy Self Esteem thus enabling them to cope better with life challenges is Building Affective School Environment – BASE. The program in which the whole school staff, students and their parents are included, was designed on the basis of 30 years of experience and in cooperation with  Robert Reasoner and other experts, by the Institute for Developing Personal Quality.
The BASE programme consists of an elaborated methodology based on solid theoretic background including didactic workshop materials for students, their teachers and parents, practical suggestions and an effective implementation model. The programme also includes evaluation methods and constant monitoring of the results through specially designed inventories, reports and questionnaires.

Purpose of the programme

The purpose of the program is to strengthen the key elements for healthy personal development among students by implementing the BASE program on school wide basis. This way we contribute to better motivation, increased personal and social responsibility, sense of purpose and academic success among school-youth followed by their interest in lifelong learning and active participation in democratic processes.

Programme objectives

¨         Increase motivation, responsibility and a sense of purpose among youth
¨         Increase student’s ability for making healthy and productive decisions
¨         Improve relations among peers in schools and within families
¨         Reduce the number of students at-risk
¨         Prevent drug and alcohol abuse
¨         Increase the level of tolerance and respect
¨         Decrease violence in schools and local communities

¨         Improve academic achievement

¨         Improve the school climate and interpersonal relationships among staff
          Improve cooperation among school and parents
          Decrease social problems on a long-term basis
          Increase the number of successful individuals in communities

Programme Implementation and results

To implement the program in Slovenia we trained over 500 teachers since the year 2000. The program produced impressive results in increasing personal responsibility and motivation for learning, improving interpersonal skills, decreasing antisocial behaviour and violence in schools.

Teachers, using the program reported:

*            improved interpersonal relationship among peers – 65%
*            increased willingness for cooperation among students – 60%
*            increased motivation for learning – 48%
*            less discipline and social problems – 42%
Relationships among staff and school climate improved as well.
Today the program is used in about 200 institutions with over 10.000 children and adolescents. The responses have been very encouraging and prove that with the right approach and programmes it is possible to reduce undesirable behaviour among young people and to give them what they really need to be well prepared for life.
The influence of the programme is long lasting and of great importance for the whole society.
For further information about this programme, contact Greta Bratovs  [email protected]