YouthFirst: Fostering Mental Health and Well-Being in Youth work

In a world where rapid changes are shaping our relationships, our ways of communicating and interacting it is more than ever important to address and work on the mental health of young people. In doing so youth workers around Europe are playing a pivotal role in providing support
and ensuring braver spaces for growth and development. Therefore it is crucial to equip individuals who are in the role of providing support with knowledge, tools, and peer networks for their work.
This training tackles the growing mental health challenges faced by young people, including the pressure of navigating complex social and digital environments. In addition, it is a step deeper into understanding the challenges, needs, and realities of young people by addressing those challenges through self-directed learning, facilitated workshops, dialogue with young people, reflections and peer support.
By the end of this training, participants will walk away with a personalized toolkit of mindfulness and
well-being strategies, improved confidence in addressing the mental health of youngsters, and a strong network of peers.

The objectives of the training are:

• To open the dialogue with professionals in the field of youth work about questions relating to the mental health of young people
• To provide a space to find answers to specific challenges professionals in the field of youth work are facing regarding the mental health of young people
• To provide an immersive space for the exploration of different well-being and mindfulness tools
• To provide a platform for professionals in the field of youth work to hear young people’s voices, their challenges and ideas for improvement

Our approach:
Mental health is a complex spectrum of knowledge, practices, approaches, and ways of working and in those three days, it will not be possible to tackle all of them. However, an immersive, in-depth exploration of different tools and practices will be implemented following different learning environments and tools: such as sensory, cognitive, emotional, and senses-based learning processes will be facilitated to ensure different learning strategies for diverse participants.

To ensure this, the following will be provided:

• Immersive Learning: A full day will be dedicated to exploring practical mental health, well-being, and mindfulness tools to equip participants with actionable resources.
• Direct Dialogue with Young People: A study visit will create opportunities for youth professionals to engage directly with young people, gaining fresh perspectives on their mental health needs, challenges, and aspirations.
•  Brave Space for Open Discussion: The program will prioritize creating a supportive or braver environment to share experiences, challenges, and solutions to the levels of participants comfort
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Training will provide opportunities to gain insights from mental health professionals, have direct dialogues with young people, and exchange perspectives with fellow youth work professionals

Dates: 12–16 May 2025 (arrival on 12 May, departure on 16 May)
All participants will be accommodated in single room

Structure of the program:
Day 0: Evening welcome with a reception
Day 1: Opening sessions, group cohesion activities
Day 2: Full-day immersive exploration of mental health tools
Day 3: Study visit for direct dialogue with young people, personal toolkit development, and integration of insights.

See the attached timetable for more details.