BE WELL - Mental Wellbeing in Youth Work in Post Pandemic Era

Three organizations from Poland, Greece, and Lithuania identified needs for their international youth project on mental health and well-being: - Raising Awareness and Understanding: Increase awareness about mental health, distinguish it from mental illness, and emphasize its importance in youth work. - Equipping Youth Workers as "First-Aiders": Enable youth workers to recognize early signs of mental health issues, intervene effectively, and guide young people to professional help. - Recognizing Mental Disorders in Youth: Train youth workers to identify various mental disorders, including social skills deficits, eating disorders, screen addiction, mental withdrawal, and anxiety, considering the impact of COVID-19. - Promoting Mental Hygiene and Self-Care: Develop a toolkit to guide youth workers and educators in self-care, preventing emotional overload and work burnout to support young people effectively. The project addressed these needs comprehensively, promoting mental health and well-being among young people and professionals.

The project aimed to raise awareness about mental well-being in youth work with the following key objectives: 1. Enhancing Partner Organizations' Capacities: Equipping partner organizations with knowledge and resources to address mental health challenges through training and workshops. 2. Establishing an International Network: Creating a collaborative network of youth workers, educators, and organizations to share insights and best practices on mental health. 3. Advocating for Mental Health Awareness: Promoting the significance of mental health in youth work through events and awareness campaigns. 4. Developing Youth Workers' Skills: Improving youth workers' emotional intelligence, sensitivity, and empathy to better support young people with mental health issues. Overall, the project aimed to build an informed and empathetic network that advocated for mental health and contributed to the well-being of young people.

The BE WELL project featured a range of activities to achieve its objectives: - Three International Partnership Meetings: Gatherings in Greece, Lithuania, and online for partner organizations to discuss progress and plan mental health initiatives. - International Seminar for Youth Workers: Held in Poland, this seminar focused on enhancing youth workers' skills in supporting young people's mental health. - Online Supporting Events for Youth Workers: Virtual events provided additional resources and peer support for youth workers. - Events Organized by Youth Workers: Youth workers conducted workshops, seminars, and campaigns to promote mental health. - International Final Conference: Held in Lithuania, this conference showcased project outcomes and facilitated networking among stakeholders. These activities combined to create a comprehensive approach to promote mental health awareness and well-being in youth work, benefiting both international and local communities.

The BE WELL project yielded significant outcomes and impact, including: 1. Strengthening Organizational Capacities: Enhanced European dimension in participating organizations' activities and improved abilities to address mental health issues in youth work. 2. Creation of a Comprehensive Toolkit: Development of a valuable toolkit providing strategies and guidelines for youth workers, educators, new members, and ESC volunteers to support young people's mental health effectively. 3. Self-Sustainable International Network: Establishment of a collaborative and supportive network of youth workers and educators for continued knowledge exchange beyond the project's duration. 4. Project Webpage: A centralized webpage with resources, including the toolkit, conference materials, and research findings, shared with other organizations and stakeholders to promote mental health awareness. The BE WELL project's achievements ensured a lasting impact on mental well-being in youth work, fostering informed approaches and lasting support for young people's mental health.