Final conference of the »We Care« cooperation partnership

From January 15 to 18, 2025, the final conference of our two-year project »We Care« took place at the European Youth Education Centre (EJBM). The project, with the EJBM acting as the lead partner, was implemented as part of »Key Action 2 – Cooperation Partnerships in Youth (Erasmus+)« and ran from February 2023 to January 2025 (24 months).

Together with our partner organisations from Ukraine, France, Spain, Lithuania, and Romania, we presented the results of this inspiring project and reflected on our journey from 2023 to 2025. The partnership aimed to raise awareness of mental health in European youth work and develop sustainable tools for practical application.

Conference Highlights

• Reflection and Insights: Together, we reviewed the journey of »We Care« and drew valuable lessons from two years of intensive collaboration.
• Human Library: Mental health experts from the partner countries shared their knowledge and experiences in an inspiring and interactive session.
• Dissemination Activity: The project results were presented widely, including our 98-page handbook »We Care – A guide to creating inclusive activities and taking care of your participants«, two academic papers, and the »We Care« podcast.

Collaboration and Local Engagement

We also shared the project outcomes with 25 volunteers from the German Red Cross in Saxony-Anhalt, testing jointly developed methods on-site. Local partners such as the State Association for Cultural Child and Youth Education Saxony-Anhalt, the State Association of Children and Youth Recreation Centres Saxony-Anhalt, and BUND Saxony-Anhalt attended the event to learn about the results and discuss how they could integrate them into their work.

Supporting Programme and Cultural Exchange

A dynamic Actionbound rally on mental health in Magdeburg and a transcultural evening celebrating diversity and exchange among participants added variety to the programme.

Reflection and Gratitude

We proudly look back on the outcomes of »We Care«, a project that has significantly strengthened the focus on mental health in youth work. Our heartfelt thanks go to the dedicated partner organisations, whose expertise and passion were key to this success. The materials developed – especially the handbook, research papers, and podcast – will have a lasting positive impact on work with young people in Saxony-Anhalt and beyond.

Mental health is becoming increasingly important in youth work – thanks to projects like »We Care«, we have made a significant step forward in giving this issue the attention it deserves.