Peer School for Youth Mental Health

Project Info

This project aim is to train and educate young people on mental health topic in order to become peer educators.

Project Description

The project comes as a logical result of the fact that in Bitola the subject of mental health has not been dealt with in a systematic way, but only ad-hoc and in the short term. In addition to this and before Covid, but especially now, we see a huge need to provide support primarily to our youth, but also other vulnerable categories of citizens (single parents and people with disabilities) with a long-term project for informal education aimed at preserving the mental health.

In addition to this, based on the findings of recent research (Coalition SEGA 2021, MOF 2021 and Institute for Human Rights on Peer Violence 2022) young people from the Pelagonian region are among the most dissatisfied with the quality of life. By city, young Bitola residents are the most dissatisfied with the quality of life, and by gender, boys are more dissatisfied than girls.

The project “Peer School for Mental Health of Children and Youth” of the Youth Association YMCA Bitola is implemented within the framework of the regional program for local democracy in the Western Balkans 2 Reload2, which is financed by the European Union (EU), and implements the Program for the Development of United Nations (UNDP). The project “Peer school for mental health of children and youth” of the Youth Association YMCA Bitola is co-financed by the Municipality of Bitola. The project is implemented by YMCA in cooperation with Poraka Nova and Amos.

Project Duration

2023-2024

Project Objectives

1. Animation and training of young people from primary and secondary schools as well as from faculties in Bitola for peer educators for mental health. In addition to this, to implement peer education in all educational institutions from where they come in the direction of recognition, prevention and adequate handling of psychosocial problems among young people.

2. Formation of two groups to provide support to single-parent families and families with persons with disabilities, as well as to serve as resource groups for sharing personal experiences to strengthen the capacities and empathy of educational assistants, school professional services and citizen associations.

3. Creating a handbook with practical guidelines useful for all those working with young people who have psychosocial problems.

Project Activities

– Trainings
– Support groups
– Handbook

Project Outcomes

1. Trainings for peer educators that will take place in the first half of the year in the Municipal Youth Center intended for 8th and 9th graders, high school students and students [58 peer educators in 5 groups]

2. Peer education that will be implemented by peer educators for all generations of students in all primary and secondary schools, as well as at colleges in Bitola [4,120 students covered].

3. Two support groups on the same topic for single-parent families and families that have a child with a disability involved in education [2 groups of 12 participants].

4. Creation of a manual with practical experiences and guidelines for all those who work with youth who have psychosocial problems.