About the Project
COPE is a project that helps young people cope with the mental health challenges of living through the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. We use art and digital tools to provide peer support and build key protective factors that can help young people navigate these difficult times.
Our focus is on helping disadvantaged youth who are at risk, such as those who have had to flee conflict-affected areas, drop out of school, or deal with poverty, unemployment, or living with diverse abilities (disabilities). By providing new approaches and educational opportunities, we aim to improve young people’s health and well-being and give them resources to cope with the challenges they face.
We also want to help youth workers build their digital skills and capacity so that they can better support young people in need. Our approach is arts-based, which means we use creative activities like painting, drawing, and photography to help young people express themselves and build resilience.
Overall, the COPE Project aims to create new pathways for employment and mobility while giving young people the support they need to overcome the mental health challenges of living through war and pandemic.
Project Objectives
At COPE, our mission is to support young people who are struggling with the negative impact of war and the COVID-19 crisis on their mental health. We use digital tools and art-based peer support to help strengthen young people’s resilience and promote their well-being. Our project focuses on helping disadvantaged youth who are at risk, including those who have had to leave their homes due to conflict, those dealing with poverty and unemployment, and those facing social exclusion.
To achieve our mission, we have set the following goals:
- Conduct research to gain a better understanding of how war, conflict, and COVID-19 affect the mental health of young people.
- Empower youth workers to support young people in managing stress and anxiety by building their capacity.
- Develop a heritage-led course on psycho-emotional education through art that is practical and accessible.
- Establish digital peer-to-peer support mechanisms for youth to enable them to connect with others and receive the support they need.
- Raise public awareness about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Europe’s youth.
- Ensure that non-formal youth educators and workers are employable by developing the skill sets required in the labor market.
By achieving these goals, we aim to:
- Improve the competence of youth workers and leaders in selected EU countries to promote mutual support of young people on inclusion, interculturalism, and well-being in the aftermath of war and health crises.
- Enhance the capacity of youth organizations to design and implement interventions aimed at combating mental health problems.
- Increase awareness among youth workers and EU young citizens regarding the importance of mental health protection and inclusive education.
- Improve the cultural awareness of participants through the exploration of cultural heritage elements.
- Provide digital and offline educational solutions that improve the well-being of participants and contribute to healthier life status.
- Improve the services of participating organizations.
At COPE, we are committed to making a significant contribution to improving the mental health and well-being of young people in Europe. Through our project objectives and goals, we believe we can make a positive impact on the lives of those who need it most.
Project Results
As part of the COPE project, we are developing five key outputs that we believe will make a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of young people in our partner countries. These outputs are:
- Five national reports and one transnational report that will provide a detailed analysis of the challenges faced by young people in our partner countries due to war, conflict, and COVID-19 measures. These reports will be based on original on-site research and will help us better understand how to address these challenges and improve the mental health of young people.
- A capacity-building program for youth workers in our partner countries that will empower them to support young people facing stress and anxiety in the current situation. This program will focus on heritage elements and art education to enhance the cultural awareness of participants and improve young people’s employability and mobility opportunities.
- An online platform that will host our educational program and curriculum, providing youth workers with all the necessary skills and knowledge to better support young people with mental health challenges.
- Pilot training of disadvantaged youths by 60 youth workers from our partner countries using the developed curriculum, helping to ensure that the program is effective and accessible to those who need it most.
- Dissemination events in each of our partner countries aimed at raising awareness of the mental health impact of COVID-19 measures and ongoing conflicts, as well as showcasing the means developed in this project to counter them.
Training of Trainers workshops for coping with anxiety and stress through drama therapy in Athens! On the
Cope Piloting: Youth Peer Support for Coping with Anxiety and Stress Workshop and Painting Evening in Vienna!
Strategies for Navigating Stress and Anxiety: A Recap of the COPE Project Training of Trainers in Vienna In