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School mediation (or peer mediation) is an effective practice for resolving student-centered conflicts in the school context. According to the results of this qualitative research conducted at Secondary Education Schools of Western Attica (Greece), an area with particular social characteristics, school mediation programmes are a dynamic process and can contribute to: teamwork, communication and activation of students, changing attitudes and behaviors as well as inclusion of students with behavioral problems. These results are achieved despite the heterogeneity of the education programme followed and the heterogeneity of the population attending them. Under no circumstances, however, the implementation of a school mediation programme can be considered a panacea. On the contrary, it is proposed to be accompanied by other actions that will promote a different management spirit of the school and will improve the school climate.

School mediation (or peer mediation) is an effective practice for dealing with cases of in-school violence and bullying. According to the results of this retrospective research, conducted in High-Schools of the Municipality of Fyli (Athens metropolitan area, Greece), school mediation programmes contribute to: activating students wishing to help their classmates, taking responsibility and developing social/communication skills of the students involved. At the same time, it is important to point out the substantial gender differentiation in attitudes both towards incidents of in-school violence and bullying, but also to school mediation programmes. Finally, the positive response of students, who participate voluntarily beyond ordinary school hours in these programmes, is a demand for a school that responds to students’ needs.

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The purpose of this study was to plan educational interventions for informing the school population of Western Attica (Greece), an area with acute social and environmental problems (unemployment and natural disasters), about Space professions and their career perspectives. Accordingly, a questionnaire for determining the opinions of senior high-school pupils on the related issues had been designed and used for conducting a limited preliminary survey, to evaluate the entire process. This survey indicated that pupils are not aware of the related career prospects. The recording of the opinions about Space professions revealed that they are strongly associated with the profession of astronaut, although there are many more that can contribute to social welfare and environmental protection. Therefore, an educational intervention should be planned around three main points; these of presenting: Space professions, available career options and motives for pursuing them.

Sustainable development is suggested by environmentalists as the solution for confronting the intense environmental, social and economic problems that emerge globally in the last decades. This study presents the recent features and trends of the associated concepts, like the green economy, green entrepreneurship, green professions and labour-market, with a particular reference to European Union countries. In the course of transforming the current economic model towards a green direction, vocational education appears as a fundamental prerequisite that will prepare the future workforce of green economy. In this respect, a small-scale research is also presented, recording the relevant opinions of senior high-school students in Western Attica (Greece), being an area of acute environmental, social and economic problems.

This paper deals with the analysis of family factors that influence the educational and therefore professional decisions of adolescents. The educational-professional decisions of adolescents are products of complex and parallel processes and the influence of parents on them is internationally diachronic and important. Initially, a presentation and analysis of the conceptual approaches of decision-making is attempted and then a historical presentation of research data concerning the parental connection and influence on the educational-vocational decisions of adolescents is made. The influencial factors that are being considered are those of the parents' professions, the grammatical knowledge and the educational background of the family, the family's economic situation, the gender of adolescents and the expectations and unfulfilled wishes of the parents. It is also required to mention the crucial role of fu nctionalauthoritative parenting and the negative influence of parental over-involvement.