The ORBIT COST Action aims to advance collaboration between researchers, educators, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the intersections of religious identity, bullying, and wellbeing in schools. By promoting inclusion, reducing bullying, and enhancing safety, the Action fosters a supportive environment for all students, contributing to societal stability and individual growth.
COST ACTION CA23120
Religious Identity, Bullying and Wellbeing at School: A Transnational Collaboration
Background Information
In recent years, the correlation between religious identity and wellbeing has gained significant attention in educational research. While religion positively impacts wellbeing by fostering a sense of belonging and community, religious identity is often stigmatized, particularly in schools, leading to bullying and exclusion. Such challenges can compromise students’ mental health, academic performance, and social integration.
Schools have a crucial role in promoting inclusion and citizenship. However, they face challenges like outdated school climate tools, increasing religious diversity, and the rise of cyberbullying. The ORBIT COST Action addresses these challenges by uniting interdisciplinary experts to develop modernized measures, resources, and policy recommendations.
Main Aim
The main aim of the ORBIT COST Action is to advance collaboration to improve scientific measures and guides, building capacity to:
- Promote inclusion in schools.
- Reduce bullying.
- Enhance the safety and wellbeing of students from diverse religious identities.
These efforts ultimately aim to contribute to the social stability of individuals and society.
Objectives
The ORBIT COST Action has several objectives by focusing on research coordination and capacity building in order to promote inclusion in schools, reduce bullying and enhance the safety and wellbeing of students from diverse religious identities. This includes:
Share, assess, and advance studies on the link between religion and well-being.
Develop updated measures and practitioner-based resources, techniques, and tools to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for all members of the school community, including students and adults.
Compile a comprehensive handbook of interventions and online resources for use by school communities and local authorities.
Identify issues and challenges facing schools and local, national, and EU authorities related to bullying, diversity, and inclusion, particularly in multi-ethnic and multi-faith settings.
Provide detailed guidance on these issues through a comprehensive policy document directed at policy makers, educational authorities, and other stakeholders at national and EU levels.
Encourage and expand the network of researchers, academics, and practitioners through working group meetings, short-term scientific missions, and cross-disciplinary/national seminars.
Enhance the capabilities of Action members, stakeholders, and partners by providing access to an online information repository.
Publish triannual e-newsletters throughout the project to build the capacity of stakeholders and peers.
Support the drafting and publication of cross-national, peer-reviewed papers to raise awareness at an international level.
Provide direction and focus for research partners by collaborating with e-industry, community support, security, and sporting organizations.
Increase awareness across disciplinary boundaries, inside and outside academia, by promoting continuous exchange and development of knowledge, practice, and policy guidance.
Are you Interested in Joining our COST Action?
The COST Action ORBIT welcomes research-active scientists working in the field. There are many ways to get involved.