The main objective of this project was to empower youth workers from Iceland, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain to initiate positive dialogue on mental health and well-being with young people in their local communities. The broader goal was to mitigate the effects of mental health stigma, misinformation, and the lack of resources experienced by young people in these countries. Concrete objectives included: - Engage over 20 youth workers in the planned activities. - Develop smaller-scale activities focused on mental health awareness. - Co-create projects and activities reaching over 10,000 individuals. - Launch Mental Health Awareness Campaigns using shared good practices. Through this project, the five participating organisations involved staff, youth workers, and volunteers in research and exchanges of effective practices for addressing youth mental health at both local and national levels. This collaboration allowed for the development of new strategies and approaches to enhance the quality of youth work.
The motivation for applying for this project stemmed from the growing need to address mental health issues among young people and create safe spaces for open dialogue, especially through non-formal learning (NFL) methods. Across Europe, and particularly within the communities of the five partner organisations, there is a significant gap in mental health resources and awareness for youth. Through research, direct feedback from young people and youth workers, as well as observation and experience, it became clear that these communities were facing a lack of affordable or accessible resources, a shortage of information, and increased stigma surrounding mental health topics. Initial surveys highlighted key needs: - A support network for discussing mental health issues. - More accessible information and education about mental health resources. - Affordable mental health care resources/services. - Greater awareness campaigns on the importance of mental health.