The objective of the project was to acquire competencies to cope with mental health challenges by attending structured courses and to apply them with individuals and groups of students as well as in regular classes. We wanted to help teachers recognise mental health issues and behaviour of students that suggests socio-emotional problems. Having acquired these competencies, teachers will be able to apply teaching methods oriented to enhance students' well-being and strategies for effective problem-solving. Mindfulness techniques will be used to provide support to students having problems with concentration during lessons, paying attention to what is being taught and achieving desired learning outcomes. Since these methods will be applied by teachers in different subjects, students will have better results in accomplishing the required outcomes. Applying the newly acquired knowledge and skills in working with both students and colleagues will contribute to developing overall positive school environment, oriented to reaching students' and teachers' full potentials. Students will gain competencies for life-long learning having been taught how to cope with stress and care for their mental health.
We applied for the project to improve teachers' competencies regarding mental health, self-consciousness, coping with stressful situations, effective communication, emotional intelligence, personal and social development, and to learn how to integrate these issues in our education process, since mental health is of utmost importance in adolescents. The objective was to acquire knowledge and skills to enhance teachers' mental health first in order to provide good practice examples in our classrooms. Teachers who create positive environment promote tolerance, partnership, compromise, equality, mutual respect, thus becoming role models for students. It is therefore necessary to educate teachers first so that they can develop competencies to recognise and deal with mental health problems. We decided to address mental health because maintaining health and well-being of teachers, students and their parents affects interpersonal relationships in total, develops self-reliance and self-esteem, which results in effective co-operation and enhances all aspects of educational process.