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Strengthening Mental Health of Youth Workers for Better Health Care to Youth

2022-3-TR01-KA153-YOU-0000994682022Mobility of youth workersfinalized
Countries: TR|PT|BG|SK|EL|RO|SE|HU · Grant: €25,860
Physical and mental health, well-beingQuality and innovation of youth work

Objectives

Upon all these responsibilities and daily pressure, youth workers often forget about their own needs. Too many requirements and a stressful environment which with a combination of personal and professional problems can lead to several problems, such as depression or burn out which are on the rise globally (Eurostat, WHO). Depression is one of the most common and serious mental disorders and a leading risk factor for suicidal behavior (800 000 people die due to suicide every year) and the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds. The core of burnout is emotional, psychical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when an individual feels overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, he begins to lose the interest and motivation that led him to take on a certain role in the first place. Burnout reduces productivity and saps energy, leaving feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life—including home, work, and social life. In order to prevent diseases and support the important role of youth workers, it is necessary to set up mechanisms for psychological well-being of youth workers who often experience very exhausting work life, especially those working with youth with fewer opportunities and special needs. For this reason, the aim of our project is to keep well-being and support mental health-care of youth workers. The project provides youth workers with skills in crisis management for externalizing behaviors, and skills of mindfulness, stress reduction and improving resilience and motivation. The specific objectives are: 1. to exchange examples of specific methods in each country in order to provide comparison nationally and internationally and to identify how those can be applied for youth workers. 2. Each youth worker will gain certain competences and prepare a personal self-care program based on his needs. 3. to spread awareness to other youth workers by creating podcasts. This outcome of the project is an original tool - an overview of effective and comprehensive self-care in a range of settings and in a manner which respects preferences of youth workers. It will be spread across each country adapting the points appropriate to its needs and resources. We are also committed to showing solidarity across the region and to sharing knowledge, best practice and expertise.

Project partners (8)