Mental Health in Youth Work

Young people face the challenge of navigating through complex changes both in their inner world and in the world that surrounds them, affected by multiple crises. Youth workers can play an important role in supporting the wellbeing of young people, including their mental health. Learning about mental health can help youth workers to better understand the challenges that young people face, and to develop effective strategies for supporting them.

Is this training for you?

Do you work directly with young people on a daily basis? Are you interested in understanding their needs better? Do you want to organise activities with the aim of promoting young people’s mental health and wellbeing through your practice, or to make your regular activities more mental-health-friendly? Then this training is for you. Through the program, you will learn about various mental health challenges that young people may face and the practical tools that you can use to support them.

Aims and objectives

By the end of the training program, participants will have gained practical skills and knowledge that they can use to support young people's mental health and wellbeing in their day-to-day work. They will also have the opportunity to network with other youth workers, share experiences, and exchange best practices.

Objectives:

• Understanding the concept of mental health;
• Understanding common mental health challenges faced by young people;
• Upgrading communication with young people regarding mental health issues;
• Getting familiar with practical tools and methods;
• Examining youth workers’ role in promoting young people’s mental health. Exploring its scope and limitations;
• Discussing good practices and challenges with colleagues from other countries.

Trainers

The training will be facilitated by experienced mental health professionals who have worked extensively with young people and youth workers. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from their expertise and to engage in interactive activities and discussions with their colleagues in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Disclaimer

This is basic training – it’s not suitable for you if you already have advanced knowledge about mental health. This training will not provide knowledge on how to diagnose, intervene or treat mental health issues.

The training is organized within the Mental Health in Youth Work SNAC – a long term project of the National Agencies of Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps.