We wanted to support improvements in the mental health and wellbeing of young people in the countries where we operate, and we wanted to measure the impact of that on the lives of young people, and on our communities and organizations. In supporting the participation and placing the voice of young people at the centre of the process, co-designing all aspects of the Project from planning through to dissemination, the young people developed their social and personal outcomes, and have became the owners and agents of change in their own lives. We also wanted to develop a replicable, transferable Programme that could be used across Europe by any organization that works with young people. Our specific objectives were to: 1. Improve the quality of work within the Youth Work sector, through working across disciplines (Youth Work, Academia). 2. Improve the quality of activities and practices, and develop the capabilities and capacities within our own organizations and institutions. 3. Address the needs of young people in the areas of Youth Wellbeing and Climate Change. 4. Enable change at individual, organizational and sectoral level through developing new approaches and synergies.
Each organization involved in the Project works with seldom heard young people on an ongoing basis. Many young people told us, through many needs analyses and through lived experience, that their wellbeing and mental health was in freefall, and that the lingering effects of the pandemic, wealth inequality in Europe, the climate crises in the world, and excessive social media use were having hugely detrimental impacts in their lives. The organizations listened to the voices of young people, analyzed the latest academic concepts and frameworks, scanned horizons and developed strategies, absorbed the EU Youth Strategy and Goals, looked at the Green New Deal - and were convinced that if we could create an innovative Project that focused on connecting young people with nature and with each other, that sought togetherness rather than individualism; that engaged people with meaningful challenges and actions, working in teams that crossed barriers and boundaries; and that empowered participants through improved outcomes, skills and capabilities - then we could make a hugely positive difference in the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of seldom-heard young people through connecting them with nature using youth work methodologies.