The “Giovani all’Ascolto”, Listen to YOUth in English project is co-financed by the Programme Erasmus+ under the umbrella of the action “European Solidarity Corps – Solidarity Projects”.

The mental health of youth has for years now, been an indispensable priority in the design of supportive interventions in local communities.
In recent years, in particular, mental health issues have been exacerbated by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, which after a long period of socio-economic stagnation require young people themselves to chase the economic recovery, thus generating in the most mentally fragile individuals a process that can degenerate into anxiety, fear for the future or not being up to the proposed challenges.
The aim of the project is therefore to organize and carry out activities that can be supportive to young people in overcoming these difficult moments, through meetings ranging from outdoor group activities, moments of discussion and plenary reflection, and meetings with professionals in the field who can provide a professional point of view.

The project aims to:
– raise awareness of the ‘importance of interventions to protect mental health especially among young people;
– lend immediate support to young people who are facing the problems described;
– provide useful tools for overcoming moments of crisis before they degenerate into psychologically dangerous situations; – act as a bridge between professionals in the field and young people;
– promote the importance of overcoming the stigma associated with seeking professional help in the field of mental health;
– establishing a small listening desk by appointment for young people who need it.
Through these actions, the aim is first and foremost to provide an immediate, albeit non-resolving, remedy to the problems faced by young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The long-term goal, however, is to act as a conduit between these young people and the institutions concerned with protecting their mental and physical well-being.
Seeking professional help is in fact often seen in the youth population and beyond as an indelible admission of weakness, leading them not to actively seek inclusion in psychological support pathways with proven therapeutic value.
The project will therefore consist of several phases:
– the development of activities that can actively involve young people from distressed backgrounds; – the creation of a territorial network with professionals and undergraduates in the field of mental health;
– the maintenance of these contacts with a view to long-term health promotion;
– the process of actively listening to the young people involved in the activities.
The target audience to be reached is youth, both in the adolescent and young adult age groups.