Breathe Up Mind Project Launched to Strengthen the Mental Well-Being of Youth Workers

The Erasmus+ KA153 – Mobility of Youth Workers project "Breathe Up Mind" (Project No: 2025-3-ES02-KA153-YOU-000381042), coordinated by Generaciones Saludables España, is taking place in Madrid, Spain, from 19 to 25 April 2026. Bringing together youth workers from Spain, Türkiye, North Macedonia, Italy, Hungary, and Ukraine, the project focuses on promoting mental well-being, emotional resilience, and sustainable youth work practices across Europe.

Youth workers play a crucial role in supporting the personal and social development of young people. However, their continuous emotional engagement often exposes them to high levels of stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and reduced motivation. Recognizing these challenges, the Breathe Up Mind project was designed to equip youth workers with practical tools and innovative methodologies that strengthen their mental health while enhancing the quality of their professional practice.

Throughout the mobility, participants will explore a wide range of non-formal educational methods centered on mindfulness, stress management, emotional resilience, breathing techniques, body awareness, and nature-based learning. By experiencing these approaches firsthand, youth workers will develop practical competencies that can be integrated into their daily work with young people, creating healthier and more supportive learning environments.

Beyond individual development, the project aims to foster a strong European network of youth workers committed to well-being and inclusive youth work. Participants from six partner countries will exchange good practices, share experiences from their local contexts, and establish long-term partnerships that encourage future international cooperation and knowledge sharing.

Sustainability is another key objective of the project. As a result of the training course, participants will collaboratively develop practical educational resources, including nature-based activity sets, mindfulness journals, and self-care guides for youth workers. These open-access materials will enable organizations across Europe to implement similar approaches within their own communities, ensuring that the project's impact extends well beyond the mobility itself.

By investing in the mental health and emotional well-being of youth workers, Breathe Up Mind contributes to building a more resilient, compassionate, and innovative youth work sector. The project demonstrates how supporting those who work directly with young people ultimately strengthens youth participation, inclusion, and community well-being throughout Europe.