We are all on the same team in fighting bullying in Romanian and Ukrainian schools

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania - Ukraine

Date of latest update: 2026-09-11

Description

Description (EN):

Bullying has become a global phenomenon, and with the use of social media by students, the negative effects on children are even more evident. Cyber bullying is an additional negative component that can affect the long-term physical and mental health of students and it can prevent them from exercising their rights. One in three children have experienced bullying in the last 30 days, according to education statistics. The lack of a proper response and corrective intervention only settles and normalizes bullying behaviors. In schools and small communities, the resources teachers have at their disposal are very scarce and often bullying behavior is learned at home while the school is left with the task of solving this problem not just for one student, but for all those affected as well. UNICEF estimates Ukraine has one of highest rates of bullying among schoolchildren in Europe: just under half of children aged 11 to 15 admit to bullying others and almost 70% of Ukrainian schoolchildren have either witnessed bullying or have been victims of it. Only Latvia, Lithuania and Romania surpass these numbers in Europe. By comparison, the European country least troubled by bullying is Sweden, with a rate of 8%. For students from Ukrainian and Romanian border communities, schools barely survive and are far from being oases of safety and normalcy where student education should take place. The proximity of war is a real stress factor for adults and children and can amplify bullying behaviors, in a context where empathy and solidarity are needed. The present project proposes an intervention on three levels: - explore the local school climate in Maramures and Ivano-Frankivsk: sociological research in 100 schools and their respective communities on the profile of the bullying behavior: quantify the phenomenon offline and online, gather info on how it manifests at different ages, what enables bullying and what prevents it; - creating resources for the target groups in RO and UA (teachers, pupils, families) by producing methods of intervention for the two regions RO and UA: gather types of resources that are already available, training teachers and make pupils more aware, put the resources in contact and plan interventions; put up a methodology for anti-bullying certification of schools; - activation of resources and mechanisms of anti-bully intervention in schools in the two regions: organizing anti-bullying month in each participating school in Ro and Ua (sports competitions with the participation of families of Ukrainian students and students), monitoring, conduct anti bullying certification for the schools participating in the project; provide for each school (40 in total) sport equipment or either help organize a drama classroom to help out in expressing students’ ideas and energy; plan the sustainability of the future interventions. In Romania the number of reported violence acts in schools has increased from year to year: 9741 cases in 2021-2022 in comparison to 7715 cases in 2019-2020 and these represent only the serious reported cases that involved physical violence. It is a certainty that the number of acts that involve violence in a repetitive matter are hundred folds. In 2022 a World Vision report concluded that 1 in 5 students says violence is present in their schools in a significant or very significant amount. Given the increased access of students to social media where children can watch or share bullying cases, again – the number of exposed students to violence and cyberbullying it is believed to be a lot more. In Ivano-Frankivsk, the issue of bullying has been tackled more up front and intentional from the education institutions starting a few years back. Bullying has been on the public agenda of the regional authorities, but given the displacement of the population due to Russian aggression and the online education that students have been forced to attend rather than the physical presence in schools, the replenishing of resources on the topic is needed as well as the outreach of the anti bullying measures. The project establishes a bullying proof certification for the schools participating in the project that will undergo the activities of training teachers and improving the educational environment and relationships for their students. In this way, once the project has ended, the certification of schools can go on in both regions (even if it is just a symbolic certification), by simply following the methods and practices developed in the project like: diagnosis of the school climate, school space reorganization, awareness of the local resources to turn to in case one faces bullying or cyberbullying, providing a safe space for learning by improving the school climate through sports and drama classes for which the project provides facilities for each of the 40 schools.

Actual Achievements (EN):

In the first four months, the Bullying Proof project focused on preparing everything needed for a successful roll-out in schools. The partners in Romania and Ukraine worked together to design a large cross-border study that will help understand how bullying and cyberbullying affect students. They also began creating the methodology that will certify schools as “bullying-proof” and started planning an art exhibition featuring local artists from both countries. This early phase was essential because it ensures that all future activities — teacher training, school events, equipment installation and student engagement — are grounded in solid evidence and adapted to the real needs of communities on both sides of the border. The cooperation between Romanian and Ukrainian partners has already shown significant added value, creating a united approach and offering perspectives that would not be possible through national efforts alone During reporting period 2 we managed to carry on the survey not only on 1000 persons as planned but on over 2500 persons (pupils and teachers) in Maramures and Ivano F. We applied a methodology as designed by our sociologist and applied two types of surveys: one dedicated to pupils and one dedicated for teachers. We managed also to procure in the case of Ukrainian partners the equipment for the outdoor classrooms and for the Romanian side the sports equipment. We carried out the stakeholders' seminar for the Romanian side and for the Ukrainian side the activities in schools were planned and partly carried out which made us partly ahead of the schedule as modified in the fall of 2025. We are also in good progress with purchasing the facilities for schools (outdoor classrooms, sports equipment, radio sets). Although they are not reported in this RP, we were quite advanced on preparing and carrying out the procurements for these. We were able to engage the townhall in Sighetul Marmatiei, the police department and for the Ukrainian side to engage with the current national policy on bullying and organize a Teachers Forum which was not planned in the project but was needed for dissemination of the results of the study. We are proud to present the first study on bullying in schools carried out at local level in both regions and probably in both countries in the recent years. In the current report we got closer to finishing the activities' implementation as schools in both countries also were getting close to the end of the year. To highlight a few achievements: - completion of data analysis and formulation of recommendations; - development of the Bullying Proof School Certification Methodology; - selection of participating schools for certification; - integration of research results into teacher training activities and carrying out the teachers' training in both regions; - continuation of awareness and school engagement activities; - advancement of procurement procedures for school support equipment; - strengthening of cross-border cooperation among the three partner organisations. The project remains generally on track to achieve its overall objective, although several implementation activities and procurements are scheduled for completion during the next reporting period 4.

Project outputs: Improved educational conditions and capacity in 40 schools to become Bullying Proof: outdoor classroom (800 persons in total), radios, sports equipment, trained teachers, engaged students& events(EN)
Organization cooperating across borders for first research on bullying and cyberbullying(EN) Website: https://slimm.ro/

Thematic information

Education and training Social inclusion and equal opportunities Community integration and common identity

Priority: (VI-A_Ro-Ua_2) Social Development Across Borders

Priority specific objective: RSO4.2. Improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing accessible infrastructure, including by fostering resilience for distance and on-line education and training

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Type of intervention: 122 Infrastructure for primary and secondary education

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Sindicatul Liber din Învățământ Maramureș

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 943721925

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 7437151

Address: Victoriei, 430142 Baia Mare, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://slimm.ro

Total budget: EUR 131 301.84

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 118 171.65

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 13 130.19

Contractors:

Name: KVL Print
VAT registration or tax identification number: 52159069
Name: Arc Soft Vision
VAT registration or tax identification number: 46251718
Name: Kapamed International SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 29958909
Name: MOLDOVAN GABRIELA CAB
VAT registration or tax identification number: 50135101

Громадського центру «Еталон»

Name: Громадського центру «Еталон»

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 891944586

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 26162601

Address: vul. Kryva, 76018 Ivano Frankivsk, Ukraine

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 152 166.84

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 136 950.15

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 15 216.69

Contractors:

Name: PE Vyslobytska Tetiana
VAT registration or tax identification number: 3040515762
Name: PE Halaida Bohdana
VAT registration or tax identification number: 2757309740
Name: PE Valko Ivanna
VAT registration or tax identification number: 3050329225
Name: RE Pukish Nataliia
VAT registration or tax identification number: 2534003947
Name: Palace of Culture Mineral
VAT registration or tax identification number: 43850976
Name: PE Chornyi Artem
VAT registration or tax identification number: 3338317655

Asociatia pentru Educatie si Cultura Lesia UkrainKa

Name: Asociatia pentru Educatie si Cultura Lesia UkrainKa

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 879524706

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 37540506

Address: Traian, 435500 Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 57 407.64

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 51 666.87

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 5 740.77

Contractors:

Name: Orizont Sighetu Marmatiei SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO2204805
Name: GOTIA-CRETIU CRISTIAN PFA
VAT registration or tax identification number: 45066625
Name: HORTZER COMEXIM SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 36672398

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION SOCIAL CENTER ETALON

We are all on the same team in fighting bullying in Romanian and Ukrainian schools

Partners and Projects info

Association for Education and Culture Lesia Ukrainka

We are all on the same team in fighting bullying in Romanian and Ukrainian schools

Partners and Projects info

Sindicatul Liber din Învățământ Maramureș

We are all on the same team in fighting bullying in Romanian and Ukrainian schools

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): We are all on the same team in fighting bullying in Romanian and Ukrainian schools

Project acronym: Bullying Proof

Project ID: ROUA00252

Project start date: 2025-04-25

Project end date: 2026-07-24

Project status: closed

Relevant linked projects:

Anti-Bullying Network (EN) | The project will make use of all the public information and best practices that are available to tackle bullying in the two communities. Our first stage in the project is to draw local data on this phenomenon in order to understand it better. The subsequent phase is to create a methodology that will have multiple paths to follow and would ensure bullying proof schools. The methodology will be elaborated based on the local data and in conjunction with the pedagogical Romanian and Ukrainian teams of all three partners. The partners did get inspiration from the Anti-Bullying Network in Scotland – a project that was successfully closed and has conducted follow up campaigns. (EN), European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EN) | At the same time, we did get ideas to run activities by going through the materials available at European Education and Culture Executive Agency, especially with respect with diversity and inclusion in schools in Europe . (EN), European Parliament resolution addressing schools on the topic of bullying (EN) | Addionally, our Bullying Proof project is very much aligned and answers to two important provisions of European Parliament resolution addressing schools and calling on the Member States:
1. to encourage awareness-raising campaigns in secondary schools and to include the issue of cyberbullying in educational curricula in schools and universities; in particular, for the successful Delete Cyberbullying campaign and Safer Internet initiative to be continued, with a view to combating bullying in order to help young people, future citizens of the EU;
2. to establish a report system in schools to keep track of all cases of cyberbullying.
(EN), National and regional experience (EN) | Last, but not least, the three partners have teachers and pedagogues from Ukraine and Romania as members who work at grassroot. The project idea originated in their practice and years of experience. The intervention to start a local research, design a tailor-made method to apply locally for schools to become bullying proof and overall to improve school environment by resetting the relationships in schools through sports and creative activities are endeavors owned by teachers.
We plan to open new paths in fighting bullying/ cyberbullying with local resources and by collaboration and self-reflection, but also by taking as reference the policies and good practices available at national and European level.
(EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 340 876.32

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 306 788.67

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 90.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

survey on school climate researching bullying and cyber-bullying - at least 1000 surveys applied
focus group methodology and application to selected schools
data resulted from the application of the survey and focus groups
processing data and elaboration of the study on the specificity of the bullying/ cyberbully in ROUA
Following the research, an intervention method of tackling bullying is developed: tools, resources
Art pieces (mostly visuals) developed by local artists conveying that bullying can be defeated
40 schools will be selected to
participate further in the project
400 teachers (200 from each
regions) to participate in a
training describing how to fight
bullying
2 local workshops (one in each
region) to raise awareness on
bullying/ cyberbullying
40 schools to be equipped with an outdoor classroom sitting, a
radio station unit &sport equipment
Events organized in the 40 schools on the format of "antibullying champions" & antibullying month
1 travelling art exhibition tackling bullying reminding we are in a
cross-border learning effort
40 schools visited twice by the project's experts aiming at
providing assistance
A formal network of educators
reunited as a resource community for
providing help on antibullying
1 final conference - to be
organized in Ukraine- to wrap up
the project's intervention

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

Other Our project contributes to the following policies and strategies:
1. The new European Strategy for a Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) – the project tackles cyberbullying and will be using the tools designed by the strategy. The bottom line being that the apps the students are using more often than not are not designed with the kids in mind so students need to know how to stay protected and what risks they may be exposed to.
2. The European Education Area, especially the focus on sustaining secondary education by encouraging low achievers to continue education and obtaining digital skills and education cooperation as part of external policies. The project tackles bullying’s deep roots and finds ways to provide a general receipt but also micro interventions as a cross curricula education on encouraging the students to persist in education and strengths the trust in teachers and community. At the end of the day, fighting antibullying from either side is an act that goes beyond education for citizenship as it tackles categories that are non-citizens like the refugees.
3. Romania’s National Strategy for the Prevention and Fighting Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Radicalization and Hate Speech for 2021-2023. The main project’s contribution is in line with one of the key needs of the strategy, that of generating local data on this topic. Our first activities focus on data collection on bullying from local level in Maramures and Ivano Frankivsk.
4. Romania’s Procedure on the Management of School Violence on Pre-school Children/ Students and School Personnel. This procedure only describes the processes after the bullying/ violence has occurred and measures to prevent it are not included. Such a document of rules and regulation would be included in the project’s toolbox to be presented to teachers as at hand means to only describes procedural who is supposed to intervene and who holds the official responsibility in case of violence. The policy does not address prevention.
Other In Ukraine the following situations will be tackled by Bullying Proof:
1. Bullying is not a conflict, it is a conscious violent behavior towards another that is repeated. According to UNICEF estimates, 67% of children aged 11 to 17 in Ukraine have faced the problem of bullying, and only a small proportion tell adults about it. For the first time, the concept of "bullying" was introduced by the Law of Ukraine dated January 19, 2019. Therefore, until a systematic approach to the issue of countermeasures has been formed in Ukraine, there are no clear strategies and policies.
2. Children who are bullied are the least likely to seek support from teachers. This can be related to the level of trust - the fear that the problem can be highlighted publicly. Therefore, schools should first of all do everything possible to create a trusting environment where children will not be afraid to share their problems with a teacher, mentor, or school psychologist, will know that they will not be judged, but will be supported and helped. At some private institutions and public organizations, Personal Protection Programs or Anti-Bullying Programs have been drawn up and tested, which clearly spell out the definition of bullying and the steps of everyone who may find themselves in a bullying situation, witness or hear complaints about bullying - Algorithm of actions when bullying is detected.
3. In connection with the hostilities in Ukraine, problems of discrimination arose due to the fact that a large number of IDPs were forced to move to the western and central regions of Ukraine. Although the majority of people treat them with compassion and understanding, there are still nuances. It should be understood that war has always been fertile ground for discrimination on any grounds. Those who find themselves in a vulnerable situation are caught as weaker, and even as guilty for what happened.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 067 - Classroom capacity of new or modernised education facilities, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO87) Organisations cooperating across borders: 3.0

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 071 - Annual users of new or modernised education facilities, Measurement unit:

Delivered result indicator(s):

(RCR84) Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion: 3.0

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania - Ukraine

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-09

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

79 / 79 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

197 / 208 (94.71%)

Notes on the data

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We are all on the same team in fighting bullying in Romanian and Ukrainian schools

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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