Aims:

The main objective of the CHOICE project, funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme, is to prevent and combat all kinds of intolerance and discrimination in schools, as well as the resulting violence and abuse. The project is aimed at establishing a sustainable mechanism to support victims of bullying at school on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as enhancing the capacity of teachers and school authorities to prevent violence at school by promoting tolerance. This project aims to contribute to more inclusive school environment in Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania and Romania.

Activities:

• Exploring the needs of students, parents and school professionals related to improving measures to prevent and combat violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity at school. Making recommendations for improving the existing mechanism for prevention and combating violence at school based on the carried out needs assessment.
• Building a web-based platform for anonymous psychological counseling for victims of school violence that will be accessible to students across the country. Qualified psychologists will provide free counseling and referral for young people to other professionals and institutions when the case requires complex intervention.
• Training for teachers from major cities in the country to implement a complex approach to preventing and combating violence based on SOGI in a school that addresses the roots of the problem and improves coordination between teachers, parents, and institutions working on the problem .
• Disseminating information about the initiative and raising awareness of various stakeholders, including LGBTI youth, who are often subject to violence at school, parents, institutions working on the problem.

Duration of the project:

24 months (1.07.2019 – 30.06.2021)

Partners

KMOP – Greece, Bilitis – Bulgaria, Color Youth – Greece, ACCEPT- Romania, LGL – Lithuania