In the week before the Easter holidays, various prevention project days took place at the European School Munich. The classes of S3 took part in the life skills and addiction prevention programme "Fit4Life", for S4 there were workshops on the topic of "Mental Health". The aim of both events was to strengthen important competences, which are of particular importance in the current pandemic situation.
"Fit4Life" was about showing the S3 pupils strategies to lead a self-fulfilled, active and healthy life. Education about addiction and dependence is part of this programme, but it is equally important to teach skills that increase self-confidence, communication and resilience. Expertise on the topics of alcohol and drugs, smartphone/video game addiction as well as performance, stress and relaxation was provided to the counselling and support team of the European School Munich by Condrobs e.V., an association for social support services. Their own workshops then focused on how to help and relax themselves in difficult situations: Baking (pizza) and cooking, with theatre, yoga and exercise, or even how to fix a flat bicycle tyre yourself.
The "Mental Health" workshops for the S4 classes imparted knowledge about the psyche and insights from stress and happiness research. What mental problems are there and what can be done to stay healthy? What can be done against exam nerves? These and other questions were discussed in the workshops by ESM school psychologist Sylvia Segerer-Schwarz, school doctor Dr. Ursula Keicher and teacher and mindfulness trainer Valerie Fahmüller. In practical exercises, the students were taught the tools for stress regulation in the form of mental control (functional vs. dysfunctional thoughts), movement, meditation and mindfulness exercises. As a subsequent anonymous survey revealed, many students also want to include appropriate exercises and tactics in their everyday life in the future.
The European School Munich would like to thank the entire counselling and support team as well as all helpers for the professional implementation of the two programmes even under the difficult conditions of the current situation. The members of the counselling and support team are also available as competent contact persons for the discussed topics outside of special project days.
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