MIND
MIND project aims to strengthen mental health practices and improve the emotional well-being of VET learners. This project aims to strengthen the capacity of VET professionals to implement best practices in mental health and to promote the socio-emotional well-being VET learners in international mobility. ADICE and its partners will provide innovative and inclusive pedagogical solutions adapted to VET learners and other young people with mental health problems.
Context
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the population has become increasingly aware of mental health issues. Young people are particularly exposed to mental health problems: today, they are 30 to 80% more likely to suffer from a mental health disorder. As the latest EU report on the mental and emotional well-being of young people in 2023 points out: “The shift from face-to-face to e-learning, restrictions on leisure and sport activities, and partial or total disruption of social interactions have greatly disrupted interpersonal relationships.”
VET learners are also exposed to this problem, which can lead them to abandon their training or prevent them from pursuing vocational training. Indeed, mental health issues can have a negative impact on education, employment or social relationships. As young people are more likely to suffer from mental health issues and less likely to benefit from emotional support, it is more important than ever to pay attention to their emotional well-being.
Objectives
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the capacities of VET professionals to reinforce their mental health practices and promote socio-emotional well-being for VET learners in mobility projects. To achieve this objective, ADICE and the PPs have designed four specific objectives:
- Elaboration of a study highlighting existing needs and expectations on mental health in the VET sector
- Creation of a pedagogical tool for VET professionals to implement mental health practices in their own organisation
- Development of a training course for VET learners on mental health awareness and help them integrate emotional well-being in their training and mobility
- Production of an interactive tool enabling VET learners to practice emotional, cognitive and social skills.
Outputs
Through the MIND project, project partners expect to:
- Facilitate the dissemination throughout the EU of VET learners and professionals’ needs on mental health for international mobility projects
- Engage VET professionals to implement mental health prevention and promotion practices
- Inform VET learners on mental health and accompany them to improve their well-being
- Guide VET learners to practice their emotional, social and cognitive skills during international mobility projects
Public and beneficiaries
The MIND project is targeting two main groups:
- VET learners involved in an international mobility project, they have been specifically targeted so they can improve their mental health and practice social, emotional and cognitive skills before, during and after their international mobility period.
- VET professionals, they are in constant contact with the VET learners who might face mental health issues.
Additionally, all staff of partners’ organizations interested will benefit from the results of the project, both during the testing and during the implementation of the tools.
