Teacher training in Germany on 27.08./28.08.21 (school 1) and 27.08./02.09.21 (school 2)

In Germany, the FRIEND-SHIP teacher training took place on two dates: The first school attended the training on Friday, 27.08.21 and Saturday, 28.08.21, the second school on Friday, 27.08.21 and on Thursday, 02.09.21. Apart from Thursday, 02.09.21 – on this day the training took place at the school –, the FRIEND-SHIP teacher training was held at Paderborn University. Overall, 38 people participated in the teacher training (mostly primary school teachers, but also social workers, special education teachers, and school principals).

During the two-day training event, the attendees were introduced to the theoretical concept of “social participation” and “social inclusion”, the FRIEND-SHIP intervention program, and the evaluation methods of the research project (e.g., questionnaires, digital tool). The teachers were also given the opportunity to try the digital FRIEND-SHIP tool and to extensively discover each of the intervention sessions. The teacher training concluded with a round table discussion about the opportunities and the challenges that go along with the implementation of the FRIEND-SHIP intervention program and the digital tool. Finally, the teachers expressed the high relevance of the FRIEND-SHIP intervention program to foster students’ social participation in primary schools.