StoryLiving- Enabling youth with developmental disabilities & mental health disorders to share their COVID-19 experiences through digital storytelling

A European initiative aiming to encourage social inclusion and provide support to youth with mental health disorders/ ASD to overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grant Agreement Number: 2020-1-EL02-KA227-YOU-006797

Funded by: Erasmus+ Duration: 05/2021 – 04/2023

Πρόκληση

There is a wide consensus that the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have not only affected the physical wellbeing of people, but their mental health as well. According to research organizations across the world (Florillo & Gorwood, WHO), it is estimated that in the months, even years, to come the need for psychiatric support to individuals will increase, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

At the same time, people at risk of social exclusion are more vulnerable than ever. For youth with mental health disorders and youth with ASD, the social distancing, the shift in priorities in the healthcare sector for the containment of the pandemic and the “infodemic”, and the rapid spread of terrifying fake news that increase anxiety in individuals, has had detrimental effects in their wellbeing. Furthermore, in a research by Ghent University, autistic adults reported a greater increase in both anxiety and depression symptoms than neurotypical adults, which is particularly worrisome as this group of people ordinarily shows increased rates of anxiety and depression.

Καινοτομία

The project “StoryLiving – Enabling youth with developmental disabilities & mental health disorders to share their COVID-19 experiences through digital storytelling,” will address these issues by applying the storyliving/storytelling method as an innovative recovery methodology.

Δράσεις

The aim of the training program and guide is to provide the necessary guidelines and support to youth organizations and support groups for youth with ASD/mental health disorders on how to implement social inclusion and healing programs for their target groups through digital storytelling during the pandemic and after its end.

Partners will organize a pilot activity/training in each country with the participation of 20 youth workers, social workers and professionals working with youth with ASD/ mental health disorders.

An online learning & hosting platform will be developed in order to host the training modules and to allow users to publish their own digital stories.

Our aim is to develop comprehensive recommendations papers in national and European level in order to promote the use of storytelling as a healing and communication process for youth with ASD/mental health disorders during and after the end of the pandemic.

Η υποστήριξη της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής στην παραγωγή αυτού του περιεχομένου δεν συνιστά αποδοχή του περιεχομένου, το οποίο αντικατοπτρίζει αποκλειστικά τις απόψεις των συντακτών, και η Επιτροπή δεν μπορεί να θεωρηθεί υπεύθυνη για οποιαδήποτε χρήση των πληροφοριών που περιέχονται σε αυτό.

Εταίροι του Έργου

**Canary Wharf Consulting (United Kingdom)**

**CENTRO PER LO SVILUPPO CREATIVO DANILO DOLCI (Italy)**

Family and Childcare Center – branch in Skopje (The Republic of North Macedonia)