Conference Program

This presentation shows the Italian experience of the two editions of the European project Applying Safe Behaviours, aimed at preventing and responding to peer violence among children and adolescents, with a specific focus on school settings. Peer violence represents one of the most widespread forms of violence experienced by young people, particularly those living in conditions of social vulnerability, and poses significant challenges for educational institutions and child protection systems.

The project adopts a participatory, rights-based and multi-sectoral approach, recognising children and young people as active agents in the construction of safe, inclusive and democratic environments. Grounded in the Safe Behaviours and Protective Behaviours methodologies, and informed by an ecological and relational framework, the intervention integrates prevention, capacity building and advocacy.

In Italy, the project has been implemented in lower and upper secondary schools in three local contexts: Milan, Turin and Bassano del Grappa. The intervention combined peer-to-peer training activities for students with targeted training programmes for teachers, educators, social workers and other child and youth care professionals. The objective was to strengthen life skills, awareness of power dynamics, recognition of different forms of peer violence (including bullying, cyberbullying and gender violence), and professionals’ capacity to respond in a balanced, child-centred and supportive manner. By training both minors and professionals, the project methodology establishes a dual layer of protection: while children gain the tools to protect themselves, professionals improve their capacity to identify and respond to violence in a way that always prioritizes the best interest of the child.

A preliminary scoping exercise, based on qualitative interviews, focus groups and surveys conducted with young people and professionals across nine European countries, informed the development of training materials and practice guidance. Particular emphasis was placed on the voices and experiences of children and adolescents, highlighting the importance of participation, trust in adults, and safe spaces for reporting violence.

The project relies heavily on peer education as a tool for effective content delivery and meaningful exchange, while also involving adults in a positive dialogue. Workshops for children are conducted by peer trainers (young adults aged 18-21). This near-peer dynamic breaks down traditional adult-child hierarchies, making the content more accessible and authentic. Also, the methodology specifically includes the participation of care-experienced young adults (care leavers) as peer trainers. Their first-hand understanding of the care system provides them with unique credibility and allows for a deeper level of trust and exchange with participants.

The Italian experience suggests that participatory educational practices can enhance young people’s agency, promote respectful relationships, and foster shared responsibility among schools, services and local communities. This approach promotes the creation of a culture of positive “partnership for change” between children and adults, where children’s participatory and decision-making skills evolve while adults support, advise, or help them implement their ideas. The presentation discusses the implications of these findings for educational policies and school practices, arguing that schools can play a crucial role as democratic spaces for the prevention of violence, the promotion of inclusion, and the protection of children’s rights.