Back to search

Odrazi Karlovca

2022-3-HR01-KA154-YOU-0001032782022Youth participation activitiesfinalized
Countries: HR · Grant: €23,720
Physical and mental health, well-beingDigital skills and competencesDemocracy and inclusive democratic participation

Objectives

Perception of oneself and one’s surroundings, as well as many other issues related to identity and self-image (self-perception), with an emphasis on the perception of the "physical self" (body image) are topics that have attracted the interest of the young people we work with since the very founding of our organization. We primarily work with young people aged 13 to 30. Encouraged by the positive experience and feedback from the "Paint the Karlovac" project, which was also presented as an example of good practice, we decided to adapt the methodology of using public space from that project for creative interventions addressing mental health issues. Additionally, through project activities, we supported indirect dialogue between young people and decision-makers and the professionals in the area of mental health, with the goal of enabling young people to "have a voice" on issues related to solving mental health challenges and youth well-being, primarily through interventions (but also through additional project activities). Namely, the topic of young people's mental health and the importance of its preservation often appears in public discourse, while the contributions of young people to these issues are largely ignored in reality. Through the project, we worked directly with this group, focusing on the use of public spaces where they live, which belong to them as well as to everyone else. Moreover, we established cooperation with other relevant stakeholders in the area of the city of Karlovac (and the county). In fact, we aimed to create a platform (named the *Feel Good Club*) that would enable young people to be active participants in creating change, rather than merely passive recipients of information that directly concerns them. The main goal of the project was to raise awareness about the connection between body image perception and young people's mental health, through an approach that includes real interventions in public spaces. Through the project, we wanted to empower young people on several levels. First, by providing knowledge and tools to express "themselves" as individuals, their feelings, and their self-perceptions, and allowing them to share their messages and experiences with the wider public in a way that is familiar and natural to them—according to their own choice. Second, by designing and implementing interventions in public spaces, young people were given the opportunity to leave a concrete mark in their community and show that their voices can and should be heard. Third, by establishing dialogue and involving relevant stakeholders in the local community (experts, representatives of local self-government units, teachers, etc.), we opened the path to changes that go beyond the duration of the project itself. The project was designed to operate simultaneously on an individual and social level. On an individual level, the goal was to empower young people to recognize the importance of mental health, develop self-confidence, and acquire practical skills for community action. On a societal level, we aimed to encourage the wider community to reflect on young people's mental health and the importance of creating an environment in which young people feel that their voices are heard. Through the implementation of the project, we achieved the desired goals set at the beginning and enabled the continued implementation of project activities even after the project's conclusion. For example, the "Exhibition" event, created by young people, remained open to the public even after the project ended. Workshops and collaborations with two new schools in Karlovac (focused on the mental health of young people) were arranged, and the most important activity that continues due to the great interest of young people is the "FEEL GOOD club" for young people. In this club, young people continue to share the problems they face, and it is run on a voluntary basis (led by a facilitator from the organization, a young person, while the young participants themselves determine the topics of the meetings).

Project partners (1)