Art-Driven Capacity Building for Mental Health De-stigmatization

ongoing

Mental-health stigma arises from misinformation, fear, and negative societal attitudes, leading to discrimination and social exclusion. ROLES aims to equip youth workers, trainers, facilitators, mentors, and NFE professionals with practical art-based methodologies to tackle mental health stigma and strengthen youth workers’ resilience. The integration of expressive, creative, experiential techniques, including theatre, role-playing and somatic methods into non-formal education will capacitate youth professionals with tools to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions around mental health, thus fostering inclusive youth work practices and empathy. Through intensive capacity-building activities that delve deep into both theory and practice, youth professionals will gain hands-on experience in using the arts as a powerful tool for engagement, advocacy, and mental-health de-stigmatization in youth work, through practical implementation, locally and internationally. ROLES brings together EU and Western Balkan partners from different realities to exchange expertise and diverse perspectives on art-based techniques and methods, ensuring a cross-border transfer of knowledge and enhancing the skills of youth professionals across different cultural and social contexts. This approach will create a sustainable impact by expanding the network of trained professionals who can continue to integrate art-based methods into their work, breaking down stigma and promoting mental health awareness among young people. The project’s key objectives include increasing the pool of competent and resilient youth professionals that support youth communities, empowering young participants, including those with fewer opportunities, and creating sustainable resources for long-term impact. This holistic approach seeks to create a supportive network of youth workers, that extends beyond the project, fostering positive change in the attitudes of mental health within their local youth communities.