By implanting the project we want to achieve the overall objective: “Our staff must get empowered and thematically strengthened to face a new challenge in business: “Young people are facing a mental health crisis” (stated by the WHO).” In order to gain the overall objective we focus on the following sub-objectives: 1. Comprehensive Understanding of: o the complexity of the issue staff members are facing o the new challenges youngsters and their persons of trusts are facing 2. Knowledge o Gain a deeper Understanding of mental health (especially in the context of stays abroad) 3. Tools: o develop an outcome-oriented action plan containing needed measures, which can be taken in the organisation
We applied for this project to tackle the emerging challenge that 'young people are facing a mental health crisis,' as stated by the WHO. The organisations, Stepin and Caminos, are experienced in “mobilities abroad” for young people (Stepin = sending organisation, Caminos = sending and hosting organization). The staff of our organisations is increasingly confronted with growing mental health issues among their participants during their stay abroad, a situation exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19. The consortium and their staff have identified the following challenges: 1. Being confronted with participants’ severe personal and sensitive issues is emotional and stressful for the staff 2. Major responsibility to minimize the danger of a more severe crisis 3. Complexity of the issue results in a longer processing time The project addresses the need for better-prepared staff in organisations involved in youth mobility. Traditional support systems needs to be improved to manage the growing complexity and severity of mental health issues among participants. The project aims to provide staff with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively support young people (and their persons of trust) struggling with these challenges.