Project Name: Youth Exchange “Youth and Mental Health”
Activity: "Youth and Mental Health" is a youth exchange involving 25 young people from 5 countries: N. Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia and Turkey.
Youth Exchange: 16.09.2022-23.09.2022 Krushevo, North Macedonia
Accommodation: Vila Gora, Krushevo, North Macedonia
Food: The venue of the training will serve the participants with 3- times-a-day meals and snacks and beverages for the coffee breaks.
We had a team of 5 persons in Krushevo and our participants wrote for this project their best. They made also dissemination and follow up activity in a project thatwe had in Cyprus.
The Youth Exchange "Youth and Mental Health" by the North Macedonian organisation Jasna Idnina held on 16th until 23rd September 2022 and took place in Krushevo, a beautiful, nice and quiet Mountain village in North Macedonia.
Participants and Leaders from Cyprus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey and North Macedonia worked together to accomplish the unique purpose of the project. We had the chance to seek and discuss ways we can use mental health as a tool-Hot topic-serious problem which now more than ever plagues society to include people with or without special needs by promoting positive social values such as tolerance, inclusion and respect. There has always been this issue in society, but for better or worse the pandemic has clearly brought it to the surface as a serious issue nowadays. The Cypriot team had been constituted by 5 different personalities and each one contributed to make this experience even more memorable. I had a great experience with all the 20 participants from the European countries that participated in the program. I am grateful I got to meet all the participants and be part of this unique project.
Moreover, the experience in Krushevo – North Macedonia was very productive and fun. The objectives of the program were to raise awareness on the current threat which is youth mental health issues that after covid-19 much more people realise it.
On this week, we got to discuss this theme deep, we compared results of other decade, countries and culture.
The organisation that gave us the opportunity to participate in this amazing experience was called "ACPELIA" which is a Cypriot non-governmental organisation very active. So i found the opportunity to participate after this project in two other training courses in Cyprus in which i promote and share what i have learned about mental health, wellness, depression and stress and how youth they can overtake it or deal with it.
The organisation that hosted us is called "Jasna Idnina" which is a North Macedonian NGO. Dragan, the representative of the organisation, was super friendly and productive fascilitator and with the help of Non formal education made the environment flexible for us and the experience great.
Photos that we have here are from our participation in the program and also from 3 different programs that we made dissemination activities and follow up for the program.
Travelling food and accommodation all are paid from the program (For an application you must be member of our organization, if you want to apply for membership you can go for the application to the link: https://www.acpelia.org/be-a-member
4 youngsters and one leader will be selected from our organisation.
Objectives of the exchange
The participants will learn about mental health issues of the modern age, causes and consequences as well as ways in which they can safeguard their mental health and deal with the pressures of modern-day living.
The objectives include raising awareness about the importance of mental health among youngsters, developing prevention and coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, alienation and other states/conditions.
Participants
25 young people from N. Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia and Turkey. Each country will send young people aged 18-30 years old and 1 group leader aged over 18 years old.
- N. Macedonia - 5 participants +1 group leader
- Bulgaria - 4 participants +1 group leader
- Cyprus - 4 participants +1 group leader
- Georgia - 3 participants +1 group leader
- Turkey - 4 participants +1 group leader
Accomodation
For this Youth Exchange, the participants will be accommodated in Vila Gora, Krushevo.
- Rooms with 2-3 places with their own bathroom (the distribution in the rooms being made on the basis of sex).
- The structure has internet access, an activity room, and a restaurant that provides a full board.
- Bedsheets are provided.
Aplication for Interest of Participation: https://forms.gle/LTAYyjcqBCiNNgSo9
If you want to be a candidate of our program please complete the application form and don't forget to complete the membership form if you are not a member of our organisation. Link for completing the application of membership: https://www.acpelia.org/be-a-member