The project had two main objectives. The first was to strengthen the organisational capacity to integrate people with refugee and migrant backgrounds in the partner organisations, with a focus on taking into account the mental health dimension. This was also the focus of a large part of the project activities - desk research, case study and international training. The second objective was to better identify the needs of people with refugee and migrant backgrounds and to adapt and upgrade existing activities of the organisations. Here we focused on upgrading the premises of the Humanitas and Anthropolis associations - specialised libraries in Ljubljana and Budapest, and on the preparation and implementation of a pilot bibliotherapy. The sub-objectives of the project were also the transfer of good practices between organisations in the field of inclusion of people with a migrant and refugee background and the exploration of the link between social inclusion and mental health and books.
The project primarily responded to the mental health situation of the population in Europe, which was already alarming before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and worsened for many during the pandemic. Mental health is strongly influenced by multiple identities, ranging from gender, socio-economic class, age, religion, physical disabilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, to life experiences and the stressors that accompany them. These diverse identities are often linked to inequality, discrimination and violence experienced by people with so-called marginalised identities, most of whom have a migrant or refugee background. The project aimed to address the mental health problems of people with a migrant and refugee background by creating inclusive spaces and developing a pilot bibliotherapy group. Through these activities, we wanted to foster a sense of community and belonging and provide a space for creative expression and professional support in the field of mental health.