Bodies in Words, Bodies in Action

Project Summary:
“Bodies in Words, Bodies in Action” is a 6-day training course gathering youth workers, educators, and engaged artists across Europe to explore the intersection of mental health, bodily expression, and social inclusion when working with vulnerable youth.

Many young people—especially from marginalized backgrounds (poverty, cultural minorities, LGBTQIA+, mental health challenges)—struggle to verbalize their emotions or express their experiences traditionally. This project equips youth workers with alternative, non-verbal, embodied methods to open spaces for expression for young people facing suffering or isolation.

The program combines artistic methods (physical theatre, movement, voice), somatic pedagogies, and personal storytelling, inspired by body-based narrative work, humanistic psychology, and non-formal education.

Objectives:

Provide youth professionals with bodily and narrative tools to address mental health challenges in marginalized youth.

Create judgment-free spaces to explore emotions, trauma, and life stories through body and movement.

Experiment with active listening and empathetic support methods.

Foster emotional well-being of youth through holistic approaches (speech, body, group).

Develop a network of committed actors focused on mental health and alternative pedagogies in youth work.

Main Activities:
The 6-day residential training will host 28 participants from 7 countries, including youth workers, specialized educators, social workers, expressive therapists, and committed artists experienced or motivated to work with youth in difficulty.

Methods:

Physical Theatre & Somatic Expression

Exercises inspired by physical theatre (Grotowski, Lecoq) and dance therapy

Exploring presence, emotions, movement, and rhythm

Techniques such as body scan, conscious breathing, narrative gestures

Embodied Storytelling

Workshops on personal storytelling through movement

“Story-walking”: walking through memories and embodying emotions

Duo work: mirroring, body anchoring, narrative echo

Talking Circles & Emotional Intelligence

Facilitation of emotional expression and active listening

Creation of “safe circles” to explore vulnerability

Practice of “non-doing” and silent presence

Collective Performance (optional)

Co-creation of a final presentation mixing body expression, storytelling, music, and movement

Possible sharing with local community or internal group

Expected Impact:

For participants:

Acquire new tools to support youth expression and mental health across cultural and social contexts.

Develop personal emotional intelligence, listening skills, and group facilitation capacities.

Reflect on professional postures, especially in crisis or distress situations.

Integrate sensory and bodily approaches in their practices.

For partner organizations:

Improve the quality of youth work addressing well-being and mental health.

Incorporate innovative, transdisciplinary practices bridging art, care, and pedagogy.

Share best practices within the European network and produce a “Bodies & Stories” methodological kit post-project.

Strengthen European-level collaboration on sensitive and complex issues.

Dissemination and Follow-up:

Organize mini-workshops within partner organizations with teams and youth beneficiaries.

Create a multilingual illustrated digital guide: “Bodies in Words – Expressive Methods for Youth Mental Health.”

Publish short videos/documentaries on explored methods as open content.

Launch an informal European working group to prepare a follow-up project or exchange platform on expressive practices in youth and mental health.