CIVIC project is a bridge between the training Curriculum for social inclusion of people with experience of severe mental issues, produced by the "HERO. Housing: an educational European ROad towards civil rights "[n. 2016‐1 ‐ IT02 ‐ KA204‐024078] - and the development of increasingly inclusive communities. In CIVIC "Housing" is intended as a system of social facilities into a network of human relations in a safe neighbourhood. It is a community-based strategy used to allow the transition from aid to inclusion. Recently the prestigious magazine The Lancet (2020) by virtue of the expiry of WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, again wrote: "Community empowerment is the route to mental health promotion". Since October 2018, The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development had drawn the attention of the scientific community on indicators for mental health and grouped them into three areas, Mental health: 1. determinants (neighbourhood, social/cultural) 2. systems and services (availability, access) 3. outcomes and risks protection. The indicators selected by HERO project perfectly comply with Lancet indications: the Curriculum is based on them. CIVIC is based on the same indicators. In 2019, with the Handbook "Quality Rights materials for training, guidance and transformation", WHO takes a step forward in reiterating the connection among human rights, community empowerment and mental health. CIVIC will connect housing indicators and human rights: -following WHO’s suggestion, as it educates communities in housing and thus promotes the protection of rights, the development of social skills for inclusion. -expanding the diffusion of the Curriculum developed by the HERO project, by comparing it with other experiences and good practices, making it available to groups at high risk of social exclusion -strengthening social inclusion through housing training. CIVIC aims to make the access to education on Housing easier for Local Communities. CIVIC’s main goals are: -Expand and support the diffusion of the training Curriculum on housing and mental health, for local communities. -Increase networks for non-formal learning in supported Housing -Identify social and civic skill in housing pathways -Collect and share solutions for housing problems The sharing of good practices and the training carried out in CIVIC will lead to two outputs: 1. Tutorial of the HERO training Curriculum for inclusive local communities 2. Booklet "What to do in case of ..." providing ideas, suggestions, solutions for housing. CIVIC will be implemented through a synergic work of 5 partners from 5 EU countries. All organizations have housing experience in active inclusion processes and protection of rights, in both national and international network. Four target groups, which represent local communities were identified: 1. mental health service users and their families, 2. mental health service professionals, 3. professionals from other agencies (schools, employment office) 4. citizens (neighbors, volunteers). 225 people from the target groups will be involved by the partnership and will make their direct contribution to CIVIC CIVIC will be implemented through: -Meetings for sharing objectives, information on housing, updating activities (TPM). They’ll start with the Introductory Session, to which the hosting partner will invite 3-5 people from the target groups, for housing stories by those directly involved. -Training/learning activities among the partners(C1-C2): milestones for the CIVIC outputs. The first on the training Curriculum, developed in the previous HERO project. The second, on solutions to housing problems. Each partner will train the others to deal with specific housing issues starting by their knowhow on supported housing, mental health, community-based approach, human rights, non-formal education, social skills. -Each partner will be engaged in information and dissemination activities, in the fine-tuning of outputs, reporting and monitoring activities, throughout the life of the project. The project is based on the exchange of good “housing and inclusion” practices, on comparison of problems faced and solutions implemented, on work methodologies such as: goal- setting, co-production, storytelling, brainstorming, learning by experience. Supported housing is a process already started and funded by EU or by separate countries, to help people with mental health issues and at risk of social exclusion, to manager their life. Although its aims are common, it has several forms in different EU countries. Finalizing effective housing projects, through in-depth study and exchange of practices among EU countries, means above all, promoting and sharing the fundamental EU values of inclusion, rights’ protection and lifelong learning. CIVIC is a palindrome and evokes circularity. A circularity that becomes a resource: continuous, productive, always renewed exchange,from individual to community and viceversa
CIVIC aimed to make Local Communities more competent in Housing projects for people with experience of mental health issues. CIVIC’s main goals were: - Support the diffusion of the training Curriculum on housing and mental health, for local communities. - Increase networks for non-formal learning in supported Housing - Identify social and civic skill in housing pathways - Collect and share solutions for housing problems Expected results were: 1. wider and easier use of the training Curriculum, in EU. 2. expansion of partner’s cooperation networks 3. greater participation and awareness of civic and social skills to promote human rights and inclusion 3. greater use of non-formal education in housing with people with mental health problems and / or at risk of social exclusion 4. diffusion of the Curriculum in other group with problems of social exclusion 5. more social-policy makers interested in the development of local communities 6. reduction of stigma 7. more engagement in supported housing and human right within local communities 8. more inclusive local communities All that is in harmony with the indications for education and inclusion, promoted at National level in Croatia, Greece, Italy, UK and Portugal.
Mental health and inclusion processes has changed over the years. EU countries share a common trend to reorganize socio-health services to develop autonomy using community-based approach. Inclusion is hampered by stigma, bad information, inappropriate behavior. In many EU countries psychiatric hospitals were closed/changed according to new needs. Emergency departments were opened within hospitals, territorial services have been organized. There’s a widespread need to think together to valorize housing good practices and Eu values. European countries implemented different housing solutions for people with mental health problems. Integrating traditional competencies on de-institutionalization and housing processes into civil society new competencies, is necessary. Finalising effective housing projects, through exchange of good practices between EU countries, means promoting and sharing the EU’s fundamental values of inclusion, protection of human rights and lifelong learning. CIVIC partnership fully agrees with WHO when promote involvemnt of local communities in Mental health issues and highlight the need of a stronger connection among human rights, community empowerment and mental health.