Educație nonformală și dezvoltare personală. Metoda grupului de suport în prevenirea violenței școlare. Program practico – aplicativ.

Abstract

School violence remains one of the most sensitive challenges of contemporary education, affecting not only students’ safety, but also their emotional well-being, sense of belonging and capacity to build healthy relationships. Beyond its visible forms, such as verbal aggression, bullying, exclusion or intimidation, violence often reflects deeper difficulties related to emotional regulation, unmet relational needs, insecurity, vulnerability or the absence of constructive ways of expressing distress. For this reason, preventive approaches should not focus exclusively on control, sanction or behavioral correction, but should create contexts in which students can understand themselves and others, reflect on their reactions and develop more adaptive ways of relating.

This article proposes a practical-applied program based on non-formal education and the support group method, designed for students who may experience difficulties in managing conflicts, emotions or peer relationships. The program is structured in ten weekly sessions and uses activities centered on grounding, self-awareness, emotional expression, empathy, assertive communication, respect, help-seeking and reflection. The support group offers students a safe and participatory space in which they can speak, listen, receive feedback and explore the consequences of their own behaviors without being labelled or judged. Through repeated exercises of dialogue and perspective-taking, students are encouraged to identify violent reactions, understand the emotions behind them and practice alternative responses.

The proposed intervention highlights the role of school counseling and non-formal educational practices in preventing violence before it becomes a stable pattern of interaction. By focusing on emotional awareness, relational safety and personal responsibility, the program aims to strengthen students’ socio-emotional competencies and contribute to a more supportive school climate. The article emphasizes that preventing school violence requires more than rules and sanctions; it also requires spaces where students can experience connection, recognition and guided reflection.