Innovative contest scaling up UNODC- developed prevention programme in Uzbekistan announced its winners

The Nationwide Competition “Expert on the Development of Life and Family Skills” was organized online in January-April 2021 by the Ministry of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan jointly with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in three stages via @psyforum telegram channel.

The competition was aimed at disseminating best practices, as well as improving the skills of psychologists and teachers in the public education system in achieving psychological resilience in schools and families by teaching young people life skills, healthy lifestyles, positive relationships between parents and children, and building resilience to bad habits and stress.

At the first stage of the competition, the participants tested their knowledge based on the training programme "Strong family - Happy school", implemented in secondary schools. At the second stage, based on the materials of the programme, the participants gained experience by working with adolescents and their parents for three weeks and demonstrated the results of their activities in the form of presentations. The presentations of the contestants were evaluated by the national trainers of the program “Strong family - Happy school”, and 13 strongest participants received tickets to the 3rd stage. The final stage of the competition took place in the form of a practical test based on the materials of the "Strong family - Happy school" programme.

The first stage of the competition was attended by about 2,000 teachers and psychologists from all over the country, of which 100 participated in the second stage, and 13 in the final third stage. The organizers identified the three winners and awarded a mobile tablet for the 1st place, a smartphone for the 2nd place, a smart watch and a diploma for the 3rd place, and all the other finalists were awarded with souvenirs and certificates of honor.

This activity was implemented under Sub-Programme 3: Prevention, Treatment, Reintegration and Prevention of HIV of the UNODC Program for Central Asia 2015-2021 with the support of the Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section of UNODC HQ. The UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia works closely with the Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan.