Project Scope and General Objective
The project "Stress? No thanks. Youth workers in balance, ready for youth challenges", coordinated by Gantalcalá, in collaboration with "Hope For Children" CRC Policy Center and 10 other European organizations, has been approved under Action KA153 of the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.
The project aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and provide a capacity-building opportunity for youth workers to learn new stress management techniques to apply in their high-pressure work environment. The training course will take place in Marbella, Spain, Oct. 16-23, and will involve 24 youth workers from 3 areas of the EU: Cyprus, Slovenia, Spain, Greece, Italy (South); Bulgaria, Slovakia, Poland, Romania (East); and Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (Northeast).
One of the main outcomes of the project is the "Stress? No, thanks SEAL", a digital decalogue developed by youth workers during the course, which will be disseminated among European organizations. Through this tool, willing entities will commit to follow specific guidelines (including practices, attitudes, behaviors and skills development) for establishing a stress-free and mental health-friendly environment in their workspaces.
Specific Objectives
- To eradicate social taboos and prejudices surrounding mental health problem and to determine how these affect young people and youth workers in Northern Eastern and Southern European areas, especially in the aftermath of covid-19
- To improve the health status, well-being and motivation of youth workers in countries with the highest rates of work-related stress, "burn-out" and other mental health
- To develop, within European organization, more and better actions aimed at young people to improve their mental health or prevent mental health problems, especially after the covid-19 situation, and thus generate improvements in youth participation and active citizenship
Activities
- Activities will be carried out mainly through non-formal learning methodologies, such as small group and general group work, reflective moments, "Theory of Change" methodology, debates, graphic presentations, audiovisual presentations, digital graphic design, networking, exchange of best practices, theatrical performances and "Theatre of the Oppressed" technique.
- Activities conducted through techniques of self-knowledge and personal and spiritual development, such as mindfulness, yoga, the Amaranta Method and Biodanza, as well as components of the outdoors and connection with nature.
- Activities will be developed through energizing, team-building, folklore performances and food tasting, cultural visits and contact with local agents.
- Activities focused on evaluation and reflection on the learning achieved.
Results
- Participants will return to their communities more aware of mental health issues and of the factors that generate stress and burned-out as well as their relationship to decreased youth participation
- They will have improved, to a grater or lesser extent, their mental health, and will be able to continue improving it through the self-knowledge and stress management techniques acquired and the change of habits, acting as models or healthy references for their peers and young people. They will have a deeper knowledge of themselves, their capabilities and weaknesses, acquiring the ability to reflect on their own personal, spiritual and professional development
- They will have acquired or improved their soft skills in the field of emotional intelligence, such as communication, empathy, self-regulation and stress management, aspects that will favor a better work environment in their organizations. They will develop in a more conscious and natural way the socio-affective skills, sensitivity, creativity and innovative capacity, activating or reactivating the ability to design and implement successful activities and programs, according to the needs and expectations of young people, promoting greater participation in the youth sector
Partners
- Cyprus: "Hope For Children" CRC Policy Center
Project number
- Ref. 2023-KA153-YOU-9B63DBF4
Implementation Period
