Mental Health Focus area aims to act against mental health stigmatisation and support mental well-being. While tackling the topic of mental well-being, promote awareness and offer support networks and tools. More attention to mental well-being and a safer space inside AEGEE.
Objectives
- Young Europeans are informed on prevention and detection tools regarding mental health issues.
Prevention and detection of mental health issues are important aspects of everybody’s well-being. In order to effectively prevent mental health issues, information on how to achieve a subjective state of mental well-being is needed. Meanwhile, for early detection, basic tools are critical in order to recognise needs for mental health support and furthermore provide information on how to reach it. Therefore, the already existing information on this possibility of support should become more accessible for young Europeans.
- AEGEEans are trained on how to react to personal and other people’s mental health issues.
Through training, AEGEEans can develop their knowledge on mental health issues, learn to be more mindful of the experiences of people with mental health issues and improve their inclusion and participation. Training on this topic can positively affect the participants and
the people surrounding them as well as motivate them to tackle mental health and mental health issues, both in AEGEE and their circle of family and friends. To trigger this multiplication, effect the knowledge pertaining to these topics should be delivered to AEGEEans via training trainers. In this manner, related information, as well as the skills for the practical application of this information, can be acquired.
- AEGEE develops a suitable environment for mental well-being at AEGEE events.
When planning AEGEE events, it is important to take mental well-being into account. In order to create an environment that maintains mental well-being for the attendees’ sufficient rest time, healthy nutrition and other measures during events are considered. Moreover, it is important for members to feel safe to open up about their problems as this way we can fight stigma, lift taboos and normalize these topics.
- AEGEEans advocate for mental health to be a part of the curriculum of the education system.
Knowledge about physical health is already present in most educational systems, whereas mental health is barely tackled. Education about mental health and mental health care is needed in order to raise awareness, improve the mental health of the population and fight stigma. Therefore, this knowledge should be provided early on and be part of the education system.
