Mental illness affects some 27% Europeans per year. ¾ of these illnesses start before the age of 24, thus having a huge impact on their social and working situation. Many of the projects carried out so far have focused on the labour market integration of NEETs (young people outside the labour, education and training system), but very little attention has been paid to NEETs with mental health problems.
Mental health problems can be both a cause and a consequence of NEET status. Young people with mental health problems tend to leave education early and have difficulty entering the labour market due to stigma and workplace situations.
Currently, there are no specialised tools to facilitate the activation of young people with mental health problems. Furthermore, neither the target group nor those working with people with mental health problems are sufficiently trained to provide them with the necessary support in this sphere.
The project aims to integrate young people with mental health problems into the labour market and education. The materials developed during the project will take into account the needs not only of people with mental health problems, but also of vocational counsellors, professionals and their carers. The project will create publicly accessible training materials, including a process of self-assessment or progress monitoring. All materials will be developed in close cooperation with the target groups to ensure the highest possible level.
The project is an international partnership and is co-financed by the Erasmus Plus programme. More information about the project can be found on the project website www.work4psy.eu
(Information supplied by POMOST)