Mental Health in Youth Work

Aims & objectives

The aim of the training course is to allow youth workers/leaders to learn about the importance and usagin positive psychology and learn balancing stress as well maintaininging work-life balance. We will work on methodologies to implement CBT and mindfulness techniques to enhance their skills. They
will be able to transfer these skills to young people in their daily and therefore youth will also be able to learn new techniques to maintain their mental health and overal well being.
Youth workers are facing plenty of stressful and difficult situations by working with marginalized communities, people with fewer opportunities for various reasons or with migrants facing burn out.
The objectives of this training are:
- Wellbeing of the population by supporting activities that promote mental wellbeing and prevent mental disorders;
-To support NGOs, youth workers, youth in gaining a broader perspective on mental health and break the stigma;
-To improve quality of lives by introducing communities to how to cope with stress with interactive and fun activities that will improve their analytical, decision-making, social and foreign languages competences;
-To increase the capacity of partner organisations to address the mental health educational needs of young people in their communities;

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

it was held in Neunagelberg, Austria between 18 -26 October 2021 including travel day for 29 participants from Spain, Greece, Germany, UK, France, Turkey, Italy and Austria.

The training courses focused on inclusion through mental wellbeing. We taught participants how to follow a reach out those suffering with mental problems and they will use these new skills in their daily youth work/projects to help young
people to sustain a healthy mind.
We included at least 60-70% of participants with fewer opportunities, with diverse backgrounds, marginalised groups,
hard-to reach groups
We had participants from different religious, cultural, demographic background.

Training methods used & main activities

Activities were designed with approaches of non formal education methods
Experiential Learning
Mindfulness Techniques
Education Through Sport
Participatory and inclusive activities
Learning
simple and effective techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Neuro-
Linguistic Programming (NLP), stress & anger management, positive psychology and breathing techniques and their basic
steps

Outcomes of the activity

Mental Health Awareness Campaign on critical issues in relations to it. Designed by the participants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd7tkgNfMms&list=PLUWJ1y8j4k7c-jy1d3RHyTPfQvr3HRZvf

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

Project Coordinator
Trainer

I worked on this training for 8 days as a full time trainer.