From a youth work practice perspective, Carnival of the Mind aims to create safe, inclusive, and meaningful spaces where young people can explore mental health, express emotions, and build resilience through non-formal, creative, and peer-led methods. The project responds directly to what we see in our daily youth work: young people experiencing stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and emotional overload, while lacking accessible and culturally relevant ways to talk about it. As youth workers and youth-led organisations, we do not aim to “fix” mental health problems, but to empower young people with tools, language, and confidence to understand themselves, support each other, and seek help when needed. We also aim to strengthen youth work practice itself by expanding the methods we use and sharing them across regions. What we want to achieve At its core, the project aims to: Normalise conversations about mental health among young people by creating a stigma-free environment rooted in creativity and culture. Strengthen young people’s emotional literacy, helping them recognise, express, and reflect on emotions in healthy ways. Empower young people as active participants, not passive recipients, by involving them in designing, facilitating, and sharing activities. Bridge youth work realities across Europe and the Caribbean, allowing young people and youth workers to learn from different cultural approaches to wellbeing. Strengthen the quality and reach of youth work practice, especially in grassroots and less-experienced organisations. Project objectives from a youth work practice perspective To provide accessible, non-formal tools for mental wellbeing Through activities such as mask-making, drumming, movement, dialogue circles, and reflection, the project equips young people with practical, creative tools they can use in daily life and youth work settings. These methods are low-threshold, inclusive, and do not require prior artistic or academic skills. To increase youth participation and ownership in youth work processes Young people co-create and co-lead activities, reflections, and dissemination. This strengthens their sense of agency, responsibility, and belonging—core principles of quality youth work. To support inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities The project intentionally reaches young people who face economic, social, cultural, or emotional barriers. Creative and embodied methods allow participation beyond language, confidence, or educational background, ensuring that everyone can engage meaningfully. To strengthen peer support and solidarity among young people Living and learning together in an intercultural group helps participants develop empathy, active listening, and mutual care—skills that are essential in youth work and community life. To develop the competences of youth workers and youth leaders Group leaders and facilitators exchange practices, test new creative methods, and reflect on their role in supporting mental wellbeing. This strengthens the long-term quality of youth work within partner organisations. To create sustainable youth work impact beyond the exchange By developing reusable tools (Toolbox for Wellbeing), supporting local follow-up activities, and embedding methods into ongoing youth work, the project ensures that learning continues in youth centres, schools, and communities after the exchange ends. This application is a re-submission of the project Carnival of the Mind, which previously received 59 points. Following the feedback from the National Agency, we did not simply adjust or repeat the original proposal; instead, the application has been fully rewritten and restructured. The revised version directly addresses the feedback by: (1) clearly demonstrating that the project idea originates from young people and that these same young people are actively involved in the exchange, including in the co-creation of activities; (2) specifying how many and which young people are involved in each phase of the project, and how participants who join later are given real space to shape the programme during the exchange; (3) strengthening the project’s accessibility and inclusivity, acknowledging that participant needs may differ and describing flexible support measures rather than assuming no adaptations are needed; and (4) redesigning the dissemination approach so that participants are supported by partner organisations in follow-up and visibility activities, ensuring realistic, guided, and sustainable use of project results. This revised application reflects a deeper alignment with youth needs, youth participation, inclusion, and Erasmus+ Youth Quality Standards.