Our main goal was to improve the quality of youth work by introducing creative arts as effective tools for supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing, inclusion and personal development. We wanted youth workers to gain practical skills in using movement, drama, music and photography so they could better respond to the post-pandemic challenges that young people face in their daily lives. We also aimed to empower young people to express themselves, build confidence, improve communication and strengthen their resilience. The project encouraged them to connect with others, discover their strengths and develop healthy ways of dealing with emotions. Finally, we wanted to produce sustainable outcomes - a handbook, educational cards and video materials - that remain freely available for organisations, schools and youth workers across Europe. By doing so, we hoped not only to support participants in the project, but also to inspire others to use creative approaches in youth work in the future.
We applied for this project because we saw a growing need to support young people and youth workers in rebuilding emotional wellbeing and social skills after the Covid-19 pandemic. Many young people struggled with isolation, anxiety and difficulties in expressing their emotions, especially those with fewer opportunities or living in geographically excluded communities. At the same time, youth workers lacked innovative and practical methods to address these challenges in their daily work. We believe that creative arts - such as movement, drama, music and photography - can become powerful tools for empowerment, emotional education and inclusion. However, their use in youth work is still limited and often underestimated. Through this project, we aimed to provide youth workers with the skills, knowledge and confidence to apply these creative methods and to create safe spaces where young people can express themselves, connect with others and grow. By addressing these needs, the project strengthened the mental health competences of youth workers, improved the wellbeing of young people and encouraged organisations to continue developing creative, inclusive and high-quality youth work practices