Break the Fight! Breakdance against school violence. Evaluation and action research 2017-2018

This evaluation and action research will be carried out in the Break the Fight! Breakdance Against School Bullying project to examine the impact of the project. Break the Fight! Breakdance Against School Bullying is a project by the Arja Tiili Dance Company and the Intomieliset ry non-profit association, which was launched in August 2014 and has reached 6000 children and young people with its performances and workshops against school bullying. In the Break the Fight! national tour support and modelling project 2017–18, which is funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, school visits (grades 7–9) will be made in four places outside the metropolitan area during the 2017–18 school year. During the visits, dance workshops and participatory laboratories will be organised for pupils, a piece by professional dancers will be performed to the pupils, and decision-maker discussion events related to school bullying will be arranged.

Orderer of the project is Intomieliset organisation /Arja Tiili Dance Company.
Funder: The Finnish Cultural Foundation

Sofia Laine, Senior Researcher and adjunct professor, is responsible for the evaluation and action research. The research team includes research assistant Susanna Jurvanen and a university student trainee Noora Järvi. An advanced field work course will also be conducted with the University of Helsinki in conjunction with the project.

The follow-up and evaluation study will investigate the elements that permit and prevent the positive impacts of the Break the Fight! school tour concept. There will also be a wider evaluation of the need to introduce a) art performances, b) art workshops and c) decision-maker discussions to deal with school bullying at schools and municipalities at the same time. The study will also evaluate which evaluation tools should be used in the follow-up of the (quality and) impact of the BTF! School tour concept. The researchers will also participate in the development of the concept. The research project was launched in August 2017 and will end in May 2018. A project report will be published as an online publication in autumn 2018.

Further information

Project website: http://www.breakthefight.com