Abstract:

The protection of soft targets within school environments is a crucial component of risk prevention, gaining importance as incidents in these settings increase. This article presents findings from the research project APVV-23-0437, titled Strategy and Methodology for Protecting Soft Targets with a Focus on Primary, Secondary, and Higher Education Institutions. Conducted in Slovakia at the University of Žilina, the project aims to develop a comprehensive strategy for safeguarding educational institutions as soft targets. The proposed strategy is intended to serve as an overarching document that systematically addresses security measures in schools.

To fulfill the project's main objective, several sub-goals are pursued, including the analysis of current international solutions and legal frameworks, the identification of threats impacting school safety, the design of a long-term protection strategy, and the specification of system and technical measures to enhance school security and resilience against intentional attacks.

One proposed tool for education and prevention is the use of videos that simulate various emergency scenarios, providing guidance on appropriate responses to potential risks. This article analyzes the effectiveness of such content in raising awareness and preparedness among target groups, particularly students and teachers, and evaluates its contribution to school preventive programs.

Keywords:

Soft targets, School safety, Emergency preparedness, Video education, Risk prevention.