YOUNG PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH
Adolescence has always been a period marked by change and important decisions that affect a young person’s future life. In recent years, the topic of mental health has been raised more and more in relation to young people. Particular attention has been paid to the mental health of young people with emotional and behavioural challenges, as they do not have the same conditions and coping capacities as their peers in the process of becoming independent, which is influenced by their experiences, inappropriate educational approaches and dysfunctional family patterns. The powerlessness of schools, institutions and gaps in systemic support for individuals (e.g. unresponsiveness of CSDs, (in)accessibility of counselling services) are also increasingly influencing the development and progression of emotional, behavioural and, in some cases, mental health challenges. We are also still witnessing the effects of the isolation and closure of schools during the epidemic of C19. Social networks are having an increasing impact on young people’s mental health, often linked to online violence and various forms of abuse.
In this thematic set, we will discuss the most common protective and risk factors for mental health challenges in young people and what coping strategies are most commonly used; how the systems we live in affect our well-being and why; which mental health challenges and disorders are most common among young people and why; what is the state of support programmes at national level and their strengths and weaknesses; what young people miss when seeking help; what are the new and innovative approaches and methods of work that are proving effective in helping young people in need. We invite contributions from practitioners and researchers in the field.
TRAUMA AND TRAUMAPEDAGOGY
Our understanding of trauma and it’s consequences has been greatly expanded and transformed due to the growing body of research in the last decades. In addition to DSM classified and diagnostiable PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), C-PTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder) is gaining wider recognition and importance in the mental health area. C-PTSD develops after being chronically exposed to stressful, dysfunctional and negative environment, especially during early development stages. In practice this manifests in dysfunctional operating of the nervous system – the individual’s ability to absorb and react to stimuli is limited or faulty, which affects their emotions, perception, feelings and behaviours. As the world around us becomes fasterpaced, overstimulating and offers more challenging living conditions, the number of children and youngsters exposed to conditions for acute or chronic trauma is growing, and is becoming more ingraved in youth work itself. Understanding and exploring the world of trauma is therefore an essential part of youth work.
In this topic we will explore how to recognize different manifestations of trauma, the differenciation between trauma and distress, and how to cultivate trauma informed care and trauma informed approaches. We will unravel reasons, triggers and systems that contribute to dysfunctional development of the nervous system, how this manifests in the individual’s life and development, we will explore new-age and innovative approaches that reach beyond frames of individual therapy work and are applicable in broader youth work, and we will talk about limitations, challenges and dilemmas.
INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF SPORT AND THE ARTS IN THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH BEHAVIOURAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES
In educational work with children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural challenges, a variety of sports, arts and cultural activities, which is why we maintain the content strand dedicated to them.
The focus of the contributions should be on innovation and effectiveness of approaches to sport and arts activities in which we as professionals recognise the important contribution to the well-being of the populations we are working with at the conference.
For young people, who are more vulnerable due to their characteristics and lifestyles, education, both formal and non-formal, is of the utmost importance, even though it is often more difficult to access. Non-formal forms of education as well as adaptation and creativity in formal education offer young people the opportunity to discover life’s opportunities, learn social skills, develop potential, strengthen weak areas and orient them towards creative leisure activities linked to their interests.
This theme seeks contributions related to arts, culture and sport. We will be interested in new, up-to-date forms and methods of teaching and education, involving the use of various didactic aids, media and adaptations in the education system. This theme also includes non-formal forms of work in the field of arts and sport, presentations on different project-based forms of education and specialised programmes and approaches in organisations to address the educational challenges of young people from vulnerable groups.
DIGITAL\ANALOGUE
Expert experience and research show more children are showing signs of physical inactivity and neglect. These problems often occur due to overprotection, lack of exercise and limited opportunities, which, among other things, affect the development of motor skills and daily living skills. In practice, experts are recognizing significant gaps in development and maturity of children with special needs. These difficulties can sometimes be the result of digital addiction, which hinders optimal development in the social, emotional, cognitive and motor domains. Nevertheless, the advances in technology and digitalisation have also brought many improvements in approaches to the treatment of children with special needs, in search of the solutions as well as possibilities for effective support in different areas of development.
However, the digital world brings its own unique challenges. An increasing number of children are becoming more dependent on digital devices, which results in social, emotional, mental and motor developmental challenges. Thus, the importance of experiential learning, away from the digital world, is being reiterated in professional and experts circles.
In practice, as the counterbalances to standard curricula, is the emergence of experiential pedagogy and experiential learning. In this thematic section, we will be interested in the relationship between the analogue and the digital. We will search for answers to the questions of what advances and solutions digital developments have brought and what challenges they have opened up; how analogue approaches can bring innovative solutions that reduce deficits, and how we can pursue synergy between the analogue and the digital in the youth work; so they complement and improve each other.
This thematic section should include presentations of contributions from both fields: analogue and digital methods of acquiring everyday knowledge, skills and experience, methods and content of experiential pedagogy, forest schools, movement pedagogy, play pedagogy and other forms of work, which are of professional nature and examples of good practice. The presentations should present structured and planned forms of methods of work with young people with emotional and behavioral challenges, aimed at reducing deficits in different areas and possible absenteeisms and dysfunctional behavior.
In addition to the above, this section should also include contributions supporting the use of digital tools as methods and tools for working with children with emotional and behavioral difficulties; help with individualisation of material, encouraging motivation with the help of digital tools, optimising organisation and empowering ways to promote greater focus. The aim of this thematic section is to exchange ideas, experiences and innovative approaches to help youngsters, youth workers and educators navigate through the challenges of the digital age, and to promote a holistic development through connecting with nature, experiential learning and experiential learning.
SELF-CARE FOR YOUTH WORKERS
»You teach what you know, but you reproduce what you are.«
Youth work requires a wholesome human, equipped with knowledge, tools and approaches. The relationship built with the youngster is one of the most important deciding factors for further development and for success. To build healthy relationships we must be able to step into them authentically, transparently, maturely, and further nurture our self-development. Youth work brings many challenges, questions, obstacles, dilemmas and doubts, for which we often do not receive optimal support or space in the context of our working systems and institutions, to illuminate and resolve them. If a relationship is a sum of two individuum, in which the youth worker must take on a greater responsibility; how to build healthy professional relationships that do not exhaust us in the long run?
This topic will focus on the practice of emotional regulation, growth, self-development and self-reflection, this time directed at the youth worker. How to nurture one’s own professional mind, professional attitude, ethics and find authenticity in one’s relationships in which we do not lose our spark, motivation and our drive to work; how to navigate the challenges and dilemmas brought by younger generations; how to cultivate our own unique working style that celebrates our strong suits and promotes personal growth at the same time; techniques and methods for relaxation, growth, self-regulation and strengthening of our professional identity.
