Mental health sensitive approach to youth work and in youth inclusive volunteering management
Vol’Go -project highlights young people’s own voice, as they are experts by experience in terms of what kind of actions lead to sensitive encountering of youngsters, who have different challenges like mental health problems in their life. Young people attending inclusive volunteering and peer activities have participated in the developing of the handbook and planning of concrete steps, that lead to lowering the threshold for participation in accessible volunteering, also on an international level. One important goal of the project was to open the concept of mental health sensitivity and break down barriers that youngsters experience on their path of inclusion.
As a society, we strive for inclusion and non-discrimination, and inclusion is one way in increasing meaningful participation possibilities. Sensitive encountering and acknowledging the skills and autonomy individually, despite of their challenges in certain areas of life, creates a sense of significance and an experience of influencing opportunities.
The Vol’Go handbook (project result 3) opens the idea of mental health sensitivity , and how the approach provides a sufficient support tool for professionals working with youth and young inclusive volunteers, on national and international level. Vol’Go -handbook aims also at encouraging youth with fewer opportunities and different social barriers on their path of volunteering, by opening the concept and by creating mental health sensitive procedures and structures that ensure the safety and accessibility of the volunteering process.
Vol’Go – Handbook English:
There is also a translated version in every partner language:
Cypriot:
Finnish:
Portuguese:
Slovene:
