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KokoVERSESs - Scrittura creativa per curare la mente

2025-3-IT03-KA152-YOU-0003770162025Mobility of young peopleongoing
Countries: IT|ES|RO|RS|FR|IE · Grant: €41,215
Digital safetyCreativity, arts and culturePhysical and mental health, well-being

Objectives

The "KokoVERSESs – Creative Writing to Heal the Mind" project was created to offer a concrete response to one of the most pressing challenges facing young people today: digital hyperconnection. This phenomenon has profound effects on mental and social well-being, fueling isolation, anxiety, addiction, and relationship difficulties. Specifically, constant exposure to filtered content and the constant search for online approval contribute to undermining the authenticity of relationships and the ability to manage emotions. From a youth perspective, the project aims to transform these vulnerabilities into opportunities for growth, promoting tools for awareness and expression through non-formal education. The primary objective is to raise young people's awareness of the risks associated with uncontrolled digital use and offer them alternative ways to cope with stress and information overload. Specifically, creative writing is used as an educational and therapeutic tool, capable of stimulating emotional processing and personal reflection. Techniques such as cut-ups, caviardage, and storytelling not only foster creativity and critical thinking, but also become key channels for strengthening well-being and resilience. Thus, while the digital world tends to impose uniformity and superficiality, our workshops aim to restore authenticity and depth to young people's experiences. From a youth work practice perspective, "KokoVERSESs" aims to create safe spaces for gathering, where participants can regain confidence in their expressive abilities and feel part of a supportive community. Writing, combined with moments of mindfulness and reflection in nature, represents an opportunity to reduce anxiety and digital stress, strengthening an authentic connection with oneself and others. In a context marked by a lack of social and cultural spaces, as is the case in San Giovanni Teatino and many other European rural areas, the project promotes new places for meeting and sharing, concretely addressing the need for interpersonal connection and social inclusion. The specific objectives can be identified along multiple dimensions. First, develop a more conscious and balanced use of technology among young people, raising awareness of the risks of hyperconnection. Second, promote creative writing as a practice accessible to all, including young people with fewer opportunities, offering them ways to express themselves outside the typical communication filters of social media. Third, strengthen transversal skills such as critical thinking, emotion management, narrative ability, and written communication, which are essential not only for personal growth but also for social and professional integration. Finally, foster inclusion, solidarity, and respect for diversity, strengthening a sense of active and community citizenship. The project's international dimension adds further value: by involving partners from France, Romania, Spain, Serbia, and Ireland, "KokoVERSESs" fosters an intercultural dialogue that broadens participants' perspectives, allowing them to discuss shared needs and solutions. Each national context brings specific challenges related to hyperconnection—from social media addiction to unequal access to educational resources—and the variety of approaches fosters mutual enrichment. Through the youth exchange, participants acquire not only linguistic and intercultural skills, but above all the awareness of being part of a European network committed to shared issues. "KokoVERSESs" also contributes to strengthening the eight key competences identified by the Erasmus+ Programme, particularly functional literacy, multilingualism, social and civic skills, and cultural awareness and expression. The activities are based on non-formal methodologies that place young people at the center of the educational process, enhancing their active participation in planning, implementation, and dissemination. This approach empowers participants, encouraging them to become promoters of new practices and awareness within their own communities. Ultimately, the project aims to empower young people as agents of change regarding mental health and the balanced use of digital technology. Through workshops, exchanges, and moments of collective reflection, the kids not only acquire tools to improve their daily lives, but also become catalysts for awareness, bringing a new focus on mental well-being and digital inclusion to their schools, social groups, and communities.

Project partners (6)