With the I.YOU project the 4 partnering organizations, combining our diverse expertise and experience, wanted to achieve the following: - Addressing post-covid and politically challenging situation in Europe by supporting trainers and young people 18-29 to establish coping mechanisms to improve mental health, wellbeing, and purpose for the future. Particularly young people, in the beginning or in the first decade of their work life are challenged the most as their future and the way they have envisioned it is questioned. On the other hand, the purpose and meaning of the “helpers” – youth workers and motivational trainers also had to re-gain optimism, and find ways to nurture their resilience to stress so to keep supporting their learners. - Democratization of coaching and growth practices, making them accessible for young people, as well as for the community of the trainers, teachers, youth workers, people from informal and citizenship education, who are in service to the youth and society - by offering a digital accessible tool for self coaching and training work.
Over the past few years, the pandemic posed new challenges, necessitating ongoing professional development for youth workers, adversely affecting psychological well-being by subjecting individuals to various forms of isolation due to medical restrictions. For young people, this isolation resulted in decreased social interactions, heightening the risk of depression, apathy, demotivation, nihilism, and other negative impacts. Youth workers, akin to teachers, facilitators, and trainers—referred to as "helpers" by Richard Boyatzis (Intentional Change Theory (ICT) 2006, individual and organizational change)—were on the frontline, both physically and online, interacting with young individuals affected by the aforementioned conditions. Addressing this psychological state of mind takes precedence for youth workers before delving into regular training or other youth work activities. Our partnership aimed to delve deeper into the challenges faced by youth workers in this domain and contribute by proposing solutions which stem from the good practices of coaching, positive psychology, and emotional intelligence theory, addressing the current challenges of youths and their helpers through a simple digital solution.