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| 1. | About the Institute | ||
| 2. | What is Integrated Prevention | ||
| 3. | IPZIN research methods | ||
| 4. | Our team | ||
The Institute for Integrated Prevention is an NGO (a foundation) that is supervised by the Minister of Health.
The mission of the Institute for Integrated Prevention (founded in 2012) is to promote development and prevent the problems of children and youth in the spirit of an integrated approach to problem prevention. The Institute cooperates with families, schools, local authorities, NGOs and other institutions for education, health promotion and prevention.
Carrying out its mission the IPZIN (Polish acronym of the Institute) is constantly:
- conducting research on youth (average yearly sample N=5000)
- devising integrated prevention programmes
- implementing prevention programmes (over 35 000 participants yearly)
- training instructors and teachers
- coordinating and supervising a structure of 9 cooperating NGOs
- preparing expert reports for national institutions (the Polish Parliament, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Chancellery of the President) and local government units
The most important recent achievements of IPZIN (2015-2016):
- preparation of The Guidebook of Effective Prevention of Youth Problems (Grzelak et al, 2015) – a scientific report ordered and published by the Centre for Education Development of the Ministry of Education, and financed by the European Social Fund (The Guidebook presents scientific grounds for the concept of “Seven levers of effective prevention”);
- cooperation with the Ministry of Health in the preparation of the National Program of Public Health 2016-2020: the approach based on the “Seven levers of effective prevention” has been inscribed into several paragraphs of the NPPH 2016-2020 which is a governmental Program signed by the Prime Minister and coordinated by the Minister of Health);
- initiation of the expert help to the Ministry of Education in the work on the reform of the system of education in Poland (our input is limited to the questions of prevention of youth problems and risk behaviours).
Head office of the Institute:
ul. Ogrodowa 8
05-230 Kobyłka near Warsaw
Founder: Szymon Grzelak
IPZIN Office:
Phone: +48 511-447-890
E-mail: biuro(at)ipzin.org
Office Hours:
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Address for correspondence
IPZIN Fundation
ul. Odrowąża 11
03-310 Warszawa
Poland
Management of the Institute:
Szymon Grzelak, PhD – President
Agata Balcerzak, MA – Vice President
Founder:
Szymon Grzelak - doctor of psychology, founder and President of the Institute for Integrated Prevention. As a researcher and practitioner he specializes in the subject of education, youth problem prevention and education in the sphere of love and sexuality. The creator of the integrated prevention model, author of prevention programmes (such as “The Archipelago of Treasures®"). His most important publications include: scientific monograph "Prevention of Youth Sexual Risk Behavior. Current state of research worldwide and in Poland" (2009), popular guide for parents “Wild Father” (2009). The author of the expert report conducted for the Family and Social Affairs Commission of the Senate concerning paternity (2013). The editor and main author of “The Guidebook of Effective Prevention of Youth Problems” (ORE, 2015). In the years 1999-2016 he repeatedly presented the results of research on youth at conferences in the Sejm and Senate of Poland (lower and upper House of Parliament) and ministerial conferences for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. In June 2016 he presented the research of the Institute and the Archipelago of Treasures® Programme during the Plennary Session of the Polish Episcopal Conference. Married, father of four daughters.
Integrated Approach to Prevention of Youth Problems
(source: The Guidebook of Effective Prevention of Youth Problems, Grzelak et al., 2015)
- The perception of individual problems and risk behaviours in the broad context of many other problems and risk behaviours;
- The analysis of the correlations between various problems and search for their common causes and determinants (risk factors);
- The emphasis on protective factors in prevention, especially those which protect against many problems and risk behaviours simultaneously;
- The usage of a wide range of indicators referring to an extensive variety of problems and risk behaviours in both diagnostic and evaluation research.
- The perception of a human being in the context of all their dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual.
- Acknowledging and taking into account in prevention programmes the role of different actors affecting children and young people: parents, wider family, teachers, local government, NGOs, religious organisations and finally the young people themselves1.
- Pragmatic approach to preventive healthcare, expressed in search of formulas of action that will bring maximum results at the lowest possible cost2.
Recognized detailed theories which an integrated approach and the integrated prevention model refer to (Grzelak, 1999; Grzelak, 2009) include i.a.:
- problem behaviour theory (trend towards risk theory) by Jessor (1987)
- interactive influence model by Hawkins et al. (1992)
- theory of psychosocial development by Erikson (2000)
- concept of positive youth development by Catalano et al. (2002)
1 In conducting research, diagnosis, and practical activities special attention should be applied to the identification of resources, including in particular the social capital and human capital, which can be used for increasing the effectiveness of health prevention and streamlining the management of this area. Consequently, in the process of identifying and overcoming barriers for the development of effective prevention special attention should be paid to those barriers that lead to the reduction of social capital at the local level or result in the existing social capital and human capital.
2 In the management of preventive health care knowledge in economics should be considered so that the posed objectives, strategies and methods would minimize the so-called transactional costs and as a result enable optimal relationship between the costs and the effects (cost-effectiveness) at local and national level.
Compilation: dr Szymon Grzelak, mgr Agata Balcerzak
Introduction
Our expertise in research on youth has been developed since the second half of the 1990s. We have conducted numerous research projects concerning the positive potential of youth, the level of intensity of risk and problem behaviours, and the whole set of underlying intentions, convictions, attitudes and knowledge. The development of the research and research-in-action activity of a group of cooperating experts has led to the establishment of a separate institution called the Institute of Integrated Prevention (IPZIN) in 2012.
Instruments
The Prozint questionnaire developed under the supervision of Dr. Szymon Grzelak in 2006 is used in the research. The questionnaire is comprised of a set of questions and research scales that have been under development since 1996. The questionnaire is periodically modified and updated and its last update was in January 2016.
The relevance of the tools and the reliability of scales used (e.g., sexualisation scale) are high and were all verified with appropriate calculations and confirmed by practice.
Research Methods
Research is conducted in accordance with the auditory method. A specially trained interviewer from the foundation’s research centre carries surveys in school classes. The course and conditions of the survey are described in detail in the study report in order to evaluate the reliability of the results. The completion of the survey by the respondents is anonymous. Reports on the diagnosis of the positive potential and problem behaviours of adolescents, which also contain cumulative data from a given school are developed on the basis of the research findings. The reports are then conveyed to the schools concerned as well as to their managing authorities.
Study Group
The studies are conducted mainly among 14-17 years old youth. Since the start of 2010, we have interviewed over 23,000 pupils and have prepared over 200 reports for schools as well as for local administration units on their basis.
Ethical Standards
The relevant survey questions concerning undertaking risk and problem behaviours have been formulated in a discreet and appropriate manner to the age and possible experiences of the respondents. Research is always conducted in connection with an integrated prevention programme which the young people take part in some time after the completion of the survey.
