WORK PACKAGE 4:

Pilot site implementation and follow up

OBJECTIVES:

The main goal of this WP is to deploy and follow up the co-created local interventions in the five pilot regions: Poland (Lower Silesia), Spain (Basque Country), Italy (Trento), Denmark (Copenhagen) and Iceland (Reykjavik capitol area).

The activities will follow a participatory and iterative approach, aimed at realizing an effective and coordinated preparation, execution and refinement of the UPRIGHT intervention within and across pilot sites.

Objectives:

  • To engage all target groups (teachers, families and youths) and supporting stakeholders (facilitators, ICT experts and mental health professionals)
  • To prepare and set up all program materials and technical resources required for the intervention
  • To deploy the intensive and follow up phases of local resilience programs
  • To ensure consistent and effective deployment of the intervention by early detection of difficulties or deviations and a prompt adjustment and solution

MAIN TASKS:

This task will define all procedures for effectively deploying the UPRIGHT intervention in the pilot sites and to set up all the supporting tools to be used during the pilots’ execution. Procedures to apply during the pilot execution are: identification of participants and communication towards them, collection of consent, delivery of all materials and instructions regarding training on the UPRIGHT intervention, usage of technological tools for supporting delivery and practice with the UPRIGHT program, troubles management, operating procedures for the monitoring and maintenance of the UPRIGHT intervention, etc.

All supporting tools and contents will be prepared and deployed in the local languages, including: UPRIGHT program manual, online web platform to support positive parenting styles, other individual and community tools for learning and practicing, messaging tools for exchanging information with participants, troubles management system to trace and solve issues discovered during the pilot execution, etc. The intervention (activities) in the first and second wave will be the same. The only difference will be the period in which the intervention is implemented in each wave.

Overall management of the pilot execution during the intensive phase (first wave) starting in Y1 will be done, including all the content, training, technical and organizational aspects of the planned intervention. The deployment process will be iterative and run in parallel in the schools that already have committed their participation of 5 locations, synchronized with the beginning/end of the school year. The local coordinators will be responsible for the interactions with all the local participants and professionals involved. Each pilot site will involve an intervention group (N=300 youths, N=300 families and 30 teachers) and a control group (N=300 youths, N=300 families and 30 teachers). From M9 to M12, teachers will be trained by professionals about the UPRIGHT program, by means of face to-face, group sessions and virtual coaching. From M13 to M18 teachers will transfer the UPRIGHT knowledge and skills to students. From M9 to M12 families will be invited to participate in face-to-face session and/or use an online web platform providing coaching material about positive parenting styles, as described in component C4.

This task will be focused on monitoring the correct implementation of the intensive intervention starting in Y1 and Y2 in order to promptly detect problems or deviations and propose corrective actions. An agile-like approach with very frequent interactions among pilot partners will be adopted, with regular virtual meetings to check and solve issues and set up collaborative tools to share information and keep track of decisions/solutions adopted. Such an approach will be also useful to easily share information with the other WPs and among the 5 pilot teams. Outcomes of this task will be important for identifying required refinements of the intervention between Y1 and Y2, avoiding repetition similar problems.

Overall management of the pilot execution during the intensive phase (second wave) starting in Y2 will be done, including all the content, training, technical and organizational aspects of the planned intervention. This task will leverage on the lessons learnt during the deployment of the program in Y1, so that all required refinements of the UPRIGHT program and procedures are considered and incorporated in the deployment of second wave.

The deployment process will run in parallel in the schools that already have committed their participation of 5 locations, synchronized with the beginning/end of the school year. The local coordinators will be responsible of the interactions with all the local participants and professionals involved. Each pilot site will involve a intervention group (N=300 youths, N=300 families and 30 teachers) and a control group (N=300 youths, N=300 families and 30 teachers).

From M21 to M24, teachers will be trained by professionals about the UPRIGHT program, through face-to-face, group sessions and virtual coaching as described in concept and methodology, receiving the different components during the period. From M25 to M30 teachers will transfer the UPRIGHT knowledge and skills to students. From M21 to M24 families will be invited to participate in face-to-face session and/or use an online web platform providing coaching material about positive parenting styles.

Overall management of the pilot execution during the follow up phase (first wave) starting in Y2 will be done, including all the content, activities, technical and organizational aspects of the planned intervention.

The follow up phase will run in parallel in all 5 locations, synchronized with the beginning/end of the school year. The local coordinators will be responsible for the interactions with all the local participants and professionals involved. The same participants involved in the intensive phase of the first wave will be involved in school events (thematic days) relevant to the resilience intervention program, as well as in collective activities, community engagement events and panels. Organization of these events/activities will follow a common agenda across pilot sites, but will also consider tuning to local needs, interests and preferences of each pilot.

Overall management of the pilot execution during the follow up phase (second wave) starting in Y3 will be done, including all the content, activities, technical and organizational aspects of the planned intervention. The follow up phase will run in parallel in all 5 locations, synchronized with the beginning/end of the school year. The local coordinators will be responsible of the interactions with all the local participants and professionals involved. The same participants involved in the intensive phase of the second wave will be involved in school events (thematic days) relevant to the resilience intervention program, as well as in collective activities, community engagement events and panels. Organization of these events/activities will follow a common agenda across pilot sites, but will also consider tuning to local needs, interests and preferences of each pilot, as well as learning from the outcomes of T4.5.