19-25 July 2026, Rovinj

Participating in the Erasmus+ course "Cyberbullying: Prevention, Intervention and Digital Wellbeing" in Rovinj, Croatia, was an inspiring and professionally rewarding experience. As this was my first Erasmus+ mobility, I was excited not only about the opportunity to improve my professional knowledge but also about meeting teachers from different European countries and learning from their experiences. Throughout the week, I had the chance to exchange ideas with colleagues who face similar challenges in their schools, despite working in different educational systems and cultural environments.

The course focused on one of the most important issues affecting young people today: cyberbullying and the promotion of digital wellbeing. The programme successfully combined theoretical knowledge with practical activities, making every session engaging and relevant. Instead of simply listening to lectures, we actively participated in discussions, group work, role-playing activities, case studies and reflective exercises. This interactive approach allowed us to analyse real-life situations, share our own experiences and work together to find effective solutions.

One of the strongest messages of the course was that cyberbullying is much more than an online conflict between students. It can have serious emotional and psychological consequences, including anxiety, loneliness, shame, stress and a loss of self-confidence. Through empathy-building activities, we were encouraged to see situations from the victim's perspective and understand how difficult it can be for young people to ask for help. These exercises reminded me that teachers should always look beyond students' behaviour and pay attention to the emotions that may be hidden behind it.

During the training, we explored the many forms of cyberbullying, including offensive messages, online exclusion, fake social media accounts, manipulated images, privacy violations and the rapid spread of rumours on digital platforms. One important lesson was that cyberbullying often continues long after the school day has ended. Since young people are connected to digital devices almost constantly, they may feel that there is no safe place where they can escape from online harassment. This highlighted the importance of creating a school environment where students feel safe, respected and confident enough to report problems.

Several practical activities helped us understand how schools can respond effectively to cyberbullying. One of the most memorable sessions involved a realistic case study in which a student's Instagram photo had been stolen, digitally manipulated and shared without permission. Working in international groups, we developed a complete intervention plan. We discussed the importance of preserving digital evidence, informing school leaders and parents, providing emotional support for the victim, applying appropriate disciplinary measures, reporting harmful content to online platforms and, when necessary, involving external authorities such as the police. This activity clearly demonstrated that dealing with cyberbullying requires cooperation between teachers, school management, families and other professionals.

I also appreciated the opportunity to learn practical classroom strategies that can be used immediately. Activities such as the Dixit card discussions, the "Empathy Detective" game and the "Gossip Game" showed how simple methods can encourage students to think critically, communicate openly and develop empathy for others. I particularly liked the "Red Cards" idea, which encourages students to recognise inappropriate online behaviour before it becomes a more serious problem. These methods are easy to adapt for different age groups and can easily be integrated into both English lessons and class teacher sessions.

Another important part of the course focused on teenagers' digital lives and the challenges they face every day. We discussed the influence of social media, online games, messaging platforms and artificial intelligence on young people's behaviour and wellbeing. Special attention was given to issues such as online grooming, sextortion, manipulated images, body image pressure and digital addiction. These discussions made me realise that digital citizenship is no longer an optional topic but an essential life skill that schools need to teach systematically.

One of the final collaborative tasks was the creation of a School Cyberbullying Checklist, which included the key elements of an effective school prevention strategy. Together we identified the importance of clear school policies, confidential reporting channels, well-defined intervention procedures, regular teacher training, parent education programmes and continuous student awareness activities. I believe this checklist can serve as a practical tool in my own school and help us strengthen our existing safeguarding procedures.

Beyond the professional content, the international dimension of the course was equally valuable. Working together with teachers from different countries gave me new perspectives on education and reminded me that, although our school systems may differ, we all share the same goal: creating a safe and supportive learning environment where every child feels respected and protected. Listening to colleagues' experiences broadened my understanding of different approaches to prevention and intervention and inspired me to reflect on my own teaching practice.

The course also strengthened several personal and professional competences. I improved my communication skills by working in English throughout the week, gained confidence in participating in international discussions and developed my ability to collaborate in multicultural teams. These experiences have motivated me to continue participating in international professional development opportunities in the future.

After returning to my school, I plan to share the knowledge and practical ideas I gained with my colleagues through an internal workshop. I also intend to integrate many of the activities into my English lessons and class teacher sessions, where topics such as online safety, responsible digital behaviour and empathy naturally fit into classroom discussions. In addition, I would like to introduce practical resources developed during the course, including the School Cyberbullying Checklist and an Emergency Digital First Aid Kit for Teachers, which can provide immediate guidance when cyberbullying incidents occur.

Overall, this Erasmus+ mobility was a highly valuable professional experience. It expanded my knowledge of cyberbullying prevention, increased my confidence in responding to online safety issues and provided me with practical methods that I can immediately apply in my daily work. At the same time, it reminded me that education is not only about teaching academic subjects but also about helping young people become responsible, respectful and digitally aware citizens. I am confident that the knowledge and inspiration I gained during this course will have a lasting positive impact on both my teaching practice and my school community.