Project Name: Improving mental youth health
Activity: Youth Exchange
Training in Denmark: Cologne, Germany
Project Dates:  9th of June - arrival day 17th of June – departure day
You can stay up to 1 day before and after the project dates. Your transportation costs will be reimbursed. However, you will have to cover your own the other expenses!
Accommodation: Station - Hostel for Backbackers, Cologne, Germany. WI-FI is available in the whole building. http://www.hostel-cologne.de/en/ 
Food: The organizer provides accommodation and food for the entire training course: 3 meals + 2 coffee breaks between sessions per day.

5 participants (ages from 18 to 30) and one leader (no age limit) from our organization will take place to the program. Travelling food and accommodation all are paid from the program (For an application you must be member of our organization, if you want to apply for membership you can go for the application to the link: https://www.acpelia.org/be-a-member).

Project summary:
The coronavirus pandemic caused major changes in the lifestyle of young people but also contributed to major mental health problems that will be present for a long time and in the future such as: increased depression, stress, instability, and emotional weakness. 6 NGOs came up with the idea of organizing a Youth Exchange  that will promote the mental health du ring the crisis with the pandemic and organized a youth exchange on the topic. The project will provide solutions to help young people cope with the depression and stress.
 These are the Needs and issues of the project:
- The need to improve the knowledge and skills of young people in the field of mental health protection
- The need for support of young people during self-isolation
- The need to motivate young people to use yoga as a tool during self-isolation
- The need to involve young people in physical activities for better mental health
- The need to raise public health awareness and combat the ill effects of the epidemic
Objectives
- Improving the competencies and knowledge of young people in the field of mental health protection during a pandemic;
- Presentation of measures for prevention and protection of young people for improved mental health and well-being;
- Fighting the stigma of mental health problems through the development of methodologies for awareness and responsibility;
- Promotion of YOGA as a well-being mechanism during self-isolation and pandemic;
- Inclusive approach to mental health care for all young people

About the training activity:
What the youth exchange offers During the 8 daily activities in the field of non-formal learning, the participants will improve their skills, competencies, knowledge and behaviours in the field of MENTAL HEALTH protec tion. Through these activities, the participants will promote their experiences during the pandemic but will also create new friendships - long-term collaborations.
All in all, all the 36 participants will have a chance to:
- improve their life habits and are expected to be more active in the Erasmus + process of non-formal learning collaborations and activities.
- take part in sports experiences, such as YOGA relaxation and well-being activities that are expected to encourage them to be more active in sports in general.
- To improve their entrepreneurial skills and create mental health protection activities through non-formal education.
- gain hands-on experience by visiting the Mental Health Care Center which is expected to serve them for greater health care in the future.
- gain new knowledge on how to train, direct and educate young people with fewer opportunities to protect their health.
- make new friendships, connections and long-term contacts

The main objectives of the youth exchange:
- To Improve the knowledge, competencies, and skills of young people in the process of mental health protection
- To improve the communication skills of the participants, learning a foreign language
- To support the professional development of those working in the field of education, training and youth
- To raise the awareness and understanding of the participants about other cultures and countries, building international contacts


If you want to be a candidate of our program please complete the application form and don't forget to complete the membership form if you are not a member of our organisation. Link for completing the application of membership: https://www.acpelia.org/be-a-member