Mental health matters: INnovative Development for VET organizations

<< Background >>Since the COVID-19 pandemic, VET learners have been facing increasing mental health challenges, affecting their education, career paths, and social relationships. Today, young people are 30 to 80% more likely to experience a mental health condition. The European Union has made mental health a priority, emphasising in its latest report on youth mental health and emotional well-being that “young people’s mental health requires continuous attention and support in ‘normal’ times, and the measures implemented during the pandemic must be sustained in the long term.”In response to these challenges, the MIND project addresses the following needs:• Development of practices in VET: Promoting mental health practices, particularly in the context of international mobility projects.• Inclusion through mental health: Integrating inclusive pedagogical innovations for all VET learners.• Tools for well-being: Equipping professionals to promote socio-emotional well-being within their organisations.• European dynamic for mental health in VET: Facilitating a shared understanding of mental health at the European level.<< Objectives >>The main objective of the MIND project is to strengthen mental health practices within VET and improve learners’ emotional well-being. These objectives are being achieved through the collaboration of ADICE and the project partners, who have structured four specific objectives (SO) aimed at producing effective and innovative results (R):• SO1: Identify needs and expectations regarding mental health in the VET sector.• SO2: Enable VET professionals to adopt mental health practices within their organisations.• SO3: Raise VET learners’ awareness of mental health and integrate emotional well-being into their training and international mobility projects.• SO4: Support VET learners in developing their emotional, cognitive, and social skills.Within this framework, the following expected results have been developed:• R1: Dissemination of mental health needs at EU level.• R2: Engagement of VET professionals towards adopting mental health practices.• R3: Increased awareness of mental health among VET learners.• R4: Implementation of mental health practices by VET learners.<< Implementation >>Each activity was adapted according to the target group defined in the Work Package. The activities implemented were as follows:1.Development of an educational tool: Creation of a tool designed to raise awareness and/or train the target audience on mental health.2.Testing phase with professionals or learners in all partner countries: Validation and feedback from the target groups to ensure that the tool meets the needs of the sector.3.Refinement of the tool: Adjustments made based on the feedback collected to ensure accessibility and relevance of the content.4.Final version of the tool: Production of a complete kit ready for use in various educational and professional contexts.5.Development of a video, translation, and layout design: Creation of a video to promote or explain a specific component of the tool. Translation of the final version into national languages and selection of the final layout.6.Dissemination and final events: Dissemination of the results and promotion of the project to a wide audience through all available communication channels and during closing events to maximise impact and engagement.<< Results >>At the end of the project, the following deliverables were produced:• A transnational study assessing the mental health needs of VET learners and professionals, while identifying existing good practices within the EU.• Two pedagogical guides, one on promotion and one on prevention, aimed at engaging VET professionals on the topic of mental health and providing them with practical approaches for prevention and promotion.• A training programme designed to raise VET learners’ awareness of mental health and support them in developing their well-being.• An interactive tool to guide VET learners in practising their emotional, social, and cognitive skills during their international mobility.In addition, two videos were developed: one linked to WP3 on understanding mental health, and another linked to WP4 on culture shock during mobility and its impact on mental health.Taken together, the project results form a comprehensive set of resources to promote mental health and emotional well-being among the target groups, providing both concrete tools and essential knowledge.