In 2007, QRFCC launched a national initiative, the “Safe Schools Project” to transform schools into safe environments for learning. Through QRFCC, JRF developed various kits and tools for school age children and professionals in education to promote positively stimulating and safe learning environments.
Other objectives of the Project:
- Equipping counselors with the appropriate skills and tools that enable them to conduct effective interaction sessions with children within schools
- Providing school teachers with skills which enable them to implement interactive classroom sessions with students to decrease the level of violence among children
- Enhancing the knowledge and skills of CBOs and community activists to create and spread awareness on the concepts and practices of better parenting skills among community members
- Providing groups of counselors and teachers with skills which enable them to spread awareness and share practices of positive behavior amongst their colleagues within their schools and others schools in the Community
JRF follows the following main strategies in realizing the goal of the project:
- Identify and respond to the needs of students and teachers at the school level and in local communities, by conducting needs assessment workshops for each targeted school
- Establish committees in each of the targeted schools that are comprised of administrators, teachers, parents, and students. These committees take part in the coordination of project activities in their schools
- Use a comprehensive approach through targeting parents, educators, schools and administrators and community members
- Through this initiative, QRFCC aims to integrate prevention tools at schools that are in line with the educational system, thus impacting various school components, such as capacity of staff, awareness and skills of students, co-curricular programs and activities, and linkages with the community, including parents and families.
In 2011, Safe Schools programs and activities were implemented in Eastern Amman, Zarqa, Ajloun, Madaba, Jerash, Irbid and Balqa.