How do we involve school children and students in the assessment of their working environment

1. How do we involve school children and students in the assessment of their working environment The activity took place at a local level (City of Roskilde) in primary/secondary schools

2. Aims • To improve the quality of the working environment for the students • To learn about possible risks linked to the teaching situation (working with machines) • Be aware of changes of your body (headaches and backaches) • To learn about correct working posture and correct illumination

3. Aims • To be aware of problems (what cause problems, how can they be solved) • To ensure the psychological wellbeing • To learn how to report occupational accidents • To prepare the teenagers to meet the working environment outside the school

4. Risk-assessment Teaching environment-assessment (Use Appriciative Inquiry) • Focus on good and positive things at school • What gives you energy and makes you feel good • what encourage you to go to work/school

5. Quality-target • The students and the employees must have a good and safe working environment

6. The students safety organisationnotification of a safety or work environment problem • The students safety representative reports the safety/work-environment problem

7. Pupils Teachers Social- workers Tech./Adm. employees

8. Outcome • We established a safety organisation to the employees and learned the leaders of the schools to involve the elected representatives of the pupils • We developed good standards for work and guidance material for teachers and their counsellors. The pupils participated in the assess of the teaching environment

9. Outcome • We inspired many Danish schools to focus on the working environment and it was used by the Danish government in the law making process

10. New Act on the teaching environment for school children and students

11. The Danish Act says • All students have a right to a good working environment at school • The teaching has to take place without any risks • The students must cooperate together with the safety organisation in order to create a good working environment

12. The Danish Act says • Take care of the physical, psychological and esthetical environment • The students must be part of the safety organisation

13. Teaching environment-assessment • Write a valuation of the safety and healthy conditions at the school • It is all about the physical, psychological and esthetical teaching environment • Describe the problems • Make an action programme

14. Danish Center of Teaching Environment From March 1th 2002 www.undervisningsmiljoe.dk