Mens Sana
Training Course – Online
21 February – 14 March 2021
Aim: To increase the capacity of youth organizations to address mental health issues among young people.
About the project
The number of young people suffering from depressive episodes, anxiety and suicide attempts is increasing, and cases are becoming increasingly alarming in most countries. Unfortunately, the support provided in this regard is very low. Formal education does not cover this area of skills development that could help young people to know and manage their emotions. In addition, most parents tend to treat young people’s anxiety and depression as “adolescent stages” and fail to provide the emotional support needed to overcome these emotional states. Youth organizations, through the non-formal framework they provide to young people, could be a good support in addressing mental health issues, but the lack of training in the field leads to the growing development of the feeling that this subject can be approached only by certified people in the field, which is wrong, for the simple reason that the focus should be on prevention and not on healing young people in such a crisis situation (depression, anxiety, suicide attempts).
Therefore, through this project we aim to offer youth workers a set of accessible and effective methods with which to provide support to young people in the development of emotional intelligence and prevention of mental health problems, to contribute to educating the population that continues to perceive emotional issues as a taboo subject, difficult to address.
International Cooperation
Asociatia “ARYAS” – Romania
Udruga za odrzivi razvoj “POZITIVA SAMOBOR” – Croatia
Sdruzhenie “NIE” – Bulgaria
Asociacion Cultural Somos Europa – Spain
Association SlasT Education – The Republic of North Macedonia
I LIKE CZERSK – Poland
Euroactive NGO Alapítvány – Hungary
URMASII LUI NEAGOE BASARAB – Italy
Be Visible Be YOU – Greece
Non-formal Education
The project will be carried out methodologically using non-formal education and experiential methods which are creative methods aimed at accessing resources and learning by stimulating different kinesthetic, auditory, visual sensations, so those learned are perceived and integrated at a deeper level. The correct application of the methods will be ensured by a facilitator with training in psychology and experience in the development of emotional intelligence in young people. The methods used in the sessions such as: guided mediation, progressive relaxation, focusing on sensations, collage, drawing will aim to develop the components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, emotional management, empathy, and social skills.
European Certification
Youthpass is a tool to document and recognise learning outcomes from youth work and solidarity activities. It is a part of the European Commission’s strategy to foster the recognition of non-formal learning, putting policy into practice and practice into policy. While creating their Youthpass certificate, project participants are given the possibility to describe what they have done in their project and which competences they have acquired. Thus, Youthpass supports the reflection upon the personal non-formal learning process and outcomes and strengthens the social recognition of youth work.
Our project – What actually happened?
(in very few words…)
Well… let’s start with the beginning!
First of all, we get to know each other… by doing comics 🙂
And here we are! You thought we can’t do group pictures online, hell NO! We CAN!
After that, we set up rules, expectations and evaluate our first meeting… even wrote some poetry 😉
The big 45 is our team, we know what’s right and how to win.
We are apart from each other right now, but our connection is never down.
Mental health is the topic we will discuss, and no one’s gonna stop us.
By playing, we learned about Erasmus+, Youthpass and the 8 Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning and, by drawing and writing, we better understood what emotional intelligence is…
The days passed like a leaf on the wind… we shared up emotions, stories and methods… Those were our Training Course precious gems… you can also find some, by playing our Treasure Hunt!
The Treasure Hunt starts here… Guess the feelings that appear in the video posted below! If you are not Sheldon Cooper, you can do it!
Good luck!
First, find the JOY
Help the JOY to bubble up,
HAPPINESS is not a crap!
In the manual you’ll dive
Find the tip, before the five
P.S. Patience is virtue
https://lol.disney.com/games/inside-out-thought-bubbles-lite
Secondly, the ANGER
Revolution is 51
Your future is 40
51A is 55
What is justice at 111?
P.S. Let the healing begin at 215
Use the video ->
The SADNESS
Would you know my name?
If I saw you in heaven
Would you be the same?
If I saw you in heaven
P.S. Listen, then READ.
Do you have the WILL?
The FEAR
You hear The Scream
And you fell the FEAR
And you face it
Then you turn your back to it.
What frieze do you see?
P.S. Look at no. 7
https://cutt.ly/LlO7j7f
And the DISGUST
I am Ramona
You are Ramona
She is Ramona
We are in a Mental Hell
I’m not feeling very well.
?, Disgust, ?, Disgust, ?
If you get stuck and need our help, or you just enjoyed our little hunting – let us know here!
We draw, we wrote, we danced, we talked… sometimes just reflect inside ourselves… but all the time, we LEARNED – we learned who we are, what are our emotions, how do we act in certain situations, how to protect our mind from negative feelings, how to react to stress, to sadness and other emotional difficulties…
Once upon a time, there was Max who was feeling stressed. He decided to go for a walk, but then he met the prince with a balloon. The Prince was laying in the flowers and Max wanted to talk with him. Max explained his situation and told the Prince why is he stressed. The Prince gave him the four leaf clover and then disappeared. Max felt confused and went home through the sunflower maze. When he crossed the sunflower maze there was a river and while he was on the bridge he met a golden fish. The fish told him that can make his wish come true if he gave her the four leaf clover. He wanted a new friend and all of a sudden there was a new friend on the bridge with him.
And also, very important, we learned how to teach others… For this, we created three Digital Escape Rooms (soon to be posted – stay close!)
The project „Mens Sana” is financed with the support of European Commission through Erasmus+ Programme. This blog reflects only the author’s views, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
