94 High School “Dimitar Strashimirov”, Sofia, Bulgaria – Project coordinator
9The main activities of the school derive from legislative framework of ZPUO – training of students 1-12 grade according to the state educational standards for acquiring general and vocational education. The school has experience in the management of projects financed under OP “NOIR” and Erasmus+ related to inclusion, further training and support for students with special needs. In line with the inclusion strategy of the school, we address the mental health issues of students, who present symptoms of psychological disturbances such as anxiety and depression, followed by oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Special attention will be given to the prevention of mental illness, which can lead to physical changes that may make it difficult for students to concentrate, such as weight loss or gain, sleep deprivation, stomachaches, headaches and “brain fog.”

We will concentrate on the group of students between 8 and 12th grade, because having in mind the official statistics from Ministry of health, these age groups are the most vulnerable and exposed to potential psychological disturbances. Teachers’ group is between 25 and 63, which will be trained (90 teachers in our school) on how to recognise and react in case of recognition of behavioural disturbances symptoms. If behavioral issues such as angry outbursts, high anxiety or violence persist past the toddler stage, it may be time to screen a child for signs of mental illness. Untreated or unaddressed behavioral or emotional issues have a negative impact on children’s success in school. Mental and behavioral issues often go hand-in-hand; someone who suffers from depression or bipolar disorder could develop behaviors like anorexia, self harm or oppositional defiance

Learn more at: https://school94-sofia.com

Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team, Sofia, Bulgaria
The Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team is an NGO who is providing further training and psychological support for teachers in Sofia and Plovdiv region. The staff of the organisation consist of psychologists, educationalists, paramedics and social workers, who has more than 15 years’ experience in the field of mental health and psychological support for both teachers and students. Their team members are frequently invited as guest speakers at major national and EU conferences in the field of mental health inclusion. social services support, validation of learning outcomes as well as are included in the Committees to the Ministry of Education & Science and National Agency for Vocational Education & Training. One of the team members is elected as National consultant in the field of Vocational education by the Ministry of Education and Science. BIST is working intensively with teachers and their mental health (aged 27-55); Psychologists (aged 27-60) and also with representatives of educational centers and directorates of national education and social welfare (aged 35+). Their team was involved on provision of support to several teachers on issues with students in particular physical and mental exhaustion; sleep issues and fatigue; Self-doubt or a lack of confidence; Increased or decreased weight; Lack of motivation or drive/depression; Feelings of ineffectiveness; Anxiety (even at “high-functioning” levels); Existential dread or anxiety; Cynicism and negativity about education; Irritability and emotional lability; Depersonalization: not seeing the humanity in families and teachers. Thanks to the collaboration with AMPAT, BIST team will develop new digital microcredential training, which will further support teachers’ qualification and mental health resilience of the students.

Learn more at: https://www.inclusionteam.org

ASOCIACIÓN MADRILEÑA DE PROFESIONALES DE LA ATENCIÓN TEMPRANA, Madrid, Spain
AMPAT, Madrid Association of inclusion and diversity experts was born in 2004 due to the need to create an association of qualified and specialized people in inclusive education and provision of care and support to students including those with mental health problems. The provision of support by the team is starting from Early psychological support, which is not considered as a priority action by the society, but nevertheless its relevance in the lives of people who are prematurely detected some dysfunction when they are at school age and they should be determined and resolved to achieve full mental development and resilience and it is easier to apply supportive techniques. AMPAT has the official qualification of “social interest”, granted by the Community of Madrid. They have extensive research in the area of young people’s mental health and our school will take benefits from their expertise.

Mainly AMPAT is working with teachers (aged 27 – 62) and students and PhD students at pedagogical department who will become teachers upon graduation (aged 18-27). For both target groups the project will be of interest. Young teachers are usually stressed when they start their career at schools and meet with students, who are anxious, restless, depressed, or disconnected. They may have decreased effectiveness at planning or executing lessons, withdraw from others, or present as sarcastic or cynical in interpersonal interactions. Thanks to this project, the conditions of mental resilience and overall wellbeing of involved teachers will be improved.

Learn more at: www.ampat.org.es

For contact with the project consortium, please send an email to: projects@inclusionteam.org