Our Mobile Medical Unit in the Pomak Villages: 12 Years of Service (September 2024)
02/09/2024
Meeting with His Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa (October 2024)
15/10/2024DreamMakers – DreamBreakers: In-School Training of 5,200 Educators via the EEPEK Digital Platform (September 2024)
During the previous school year (2023–24), a total of 5,200 educators from various disciplines across Greece participated in three cycles of in-school training, each lasting 15 hours, as part of the DreamMakers – DreamBreakers educational program.
These training sessions were conducted asynchronously through the digital platform of the Scientific Association for the Promotion of Educational Innovation (EEPEK) and received highly positive feedback from participants.
Currently, a new asynchronous cycle of distance learning for the program is underway, with applications open throughout the school year 2024-25. More information is available on the EEPEK platform.
About the Program
The educational program “DreamMakers – DreamBreakers” (www.dreammakers.gr) is designed for students aged 11 to 15, though it can be adapted for younger or older students by adjusting the activities accordingly. The program aims to help students develop healthy life goals and encourages them to adopt behaviors that support these dreams (“DreamMakers”) while avoiding choices that could jeopardize them (“DreamBreakers”).
This interactive program covers a variety of themes—such as Freedom and Responsibility, Empowering and Limiting Habits, The Power of “No,” and topics related to psychoactive substances, alcohol, and addictions. It fosters active student engagement through diverse exercises, games, and learning activities, all based on contemporary pedagogical methods (experiential, exploratory, collaborative, etc.).
A unique aspect of the “DreamMakers – DreamBreakers” educational material is its focus on creating a Community of Learning and Practice. This community allows participants (students, teachers, family members, and psychosocial professionals) to reflect, explore broader implications, and share perspectives. Teachers serve as guides on this journey, while students play an active role, often becoming multipliers of their knowledge and experiences, which they share with their peers, families, and the local community.
Equipped with both theoretical and practical tools provided in the material, along with their own experience, teachers can adapt the program to the specific needs of their student group. They may utilize the program’s material in full or select specific thematic units within Skills Workshops and Health Education Programs.
Data from the program’s implementation in 32 countries worldwide indicate that children develop self-regulated learning skills, gaining the ability to plan, monitor, and assess their progress. Participants observe positive transformations in their perspectives, beliefs, and dreams.
Notably, the DreamMakers – DreamBreakers educational material has been approved by the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and is available on the IEP website under “Skills Workshops” in the category: Living Better – Well-Being: Mental and Emotional Health and Prevention -465 ‘DreamMakers – DreamBreakers’ (AGAPE).