Mental Health Matters

Theme

"Mental health represents an integral part of an individual’s capacity to think, emote, interact with others, earn a living and enjoy life. Consequently, mental health underpins the core human values of independent thought and action, happiness and friendship. Mental health and well-being are put at risk by a wide range of factors spanning individual, social and environmental levels, including poverty and deprivation; debt and unemployment; and violence and conflict.” WHO, European Framework for Action on Mental Health 2021–2025

Mental Health and Wellbeing of youth are at the core of European Youth Goals and the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027. It wants to achieve better mental well-being and end stigmatisation of mental health issues, thus promoting social inclusion of all young people. Nonetheless, a significant and increasing number of young people across Europe are expressing their concern about mental health issues such as high stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses amongst their peers. Young people cite the immense societal pressures they face today, and express a need for better youth mental health provision.

In 2023, SALTO Inclusion & Diversity Resources Centre has partnered with the Network of National Agencies’ Mental Health in Youth Work project to contribute to the discussion on the importance of youth mental health and wellbeing, as well as to highlight youth workers’ role in young people’s wellbeing. This resulted in 10 ID Talks.

The ‘Mental Health in Youth Work’ project works on the following three focus areas:

1. Raising awareness, normalising the concept of mental health, and promoting it as a positive resource,

2. Development of mental health literacy and competences of youth workers,

3. Enabling youth participation and peer-to-peer approach in promotion of mental health.

In 2024 the SALTO Inclusion & Diversity Resources Centre, Serbian NA and the Mental Health in Youth Work project will jointly organise meeting of Inclusion and Diversity Officers "Mental Health Matters".

Aim

To support the NAs in developing youth workers "mental health literacy and competences" in order to create practices which will nourish wellbeing of young people.

Objectives

• To discuss and exchange about mental health in different countries
• To gain better understanding of what is mental health and why is it important
• To reflect on our own understanding of mental health and organisational practices
• To support NA and beneficiaries in normalising the concept of mental health as a positive resource
• To exchange strategies, methods and resources for developing safer spaces and supporting Erasmus+:Youth in Action & European Solidarity Corps projects addressing mental health issues

Programme elements

• Intro & getting to know each other
• Input from the SNAC on Mental Health
• Sharing national realities
• Looking into mental health (mis)concepts & young people wellbeing struggles
• Wellbeing at workplace
• Reflecting about NA/ID officer role in addressing mental health
• Mapping the needs and resources
• Sharing tools, tips & tricks
• Creating an individual action plan
• Eurovision semi-finals
• Evaluation

Practicalities

• Co-organising NA: Serbian NA
• Participants: NA ID officers
• Venue: Belgrade, Serbia
• Arrival: 7th of May 2024 - by 18h
• Departure: 10th of May 2024 - after breakfast
• Costs: approximately 700EUR per person (all in). To be paid afterwards. RS NA will send an invoice. Travel costs are covered by participants. 
• We have space for max 15 participants!