Social Cooperative Activities for Minority Groups 'EDRA'

Member: NGO Premium
Since: 10.06.2010

14, Dilou Street, GR-121 34 Peristeri, Athens, Greece

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EDRA: Mental Health Matters Project

23.06.2020 Share

The project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union and has a duration of 24 months (1/11/2019 – 31/10/2021)

Press Release

The project

The World Health Organisation called for mental health to be treated as everyone's responsibility. In many countries, mental illness is the leading cause of disability. People suffering from mental illness and especially those who live in mental health structures are in the forefront of socially disadvantaged groups, suffering even more from social stigmatization and marginalization. These people usually also suffer from societal injustices.

Although art's healing effect on mental health is being acknowledged more and more, it is not an optional therapeutic approach for most of mental health structures in many European Countries. Moreover, even though there is an obvious need for more contemporary approaches, which will possibly reduce the use of medicines, most of the structures are being stuck to old protocols avoiding alternative methodological approaches and routines, as a result of ignorance or being afraid to try something new. The potential and benefits of combining therapeutic art with restorative justice are still not translated into educational material and programmes leaving many adult learners and professionals in the field unaware.

Mental Health Matters through Restorative Art (MHM) aims to respond to this by bringing together a cross-sector, strategic partnership to support innovation in the adult education field by creating, piloting, and disseminating educational material and tools tailored to the needs and realities of mental health professionals, restorative justice practitioners and artists in the participating countries and across Europe.

Objectives:

MHM aims to enhance the skills, knowledge and experience of mental health professionals using art and restorative justice values. MHM also aims to train artists to use art in order to facilitate the relief of mentally ill patients and their social restoration. The ultimate goal is to create innovative tools that enhance the healthcare provision and self-representation of those who live within mental health structures. Thus, the main aim is to create a methodological approach that puts together the benefits of art therapy with the values of restorative justice. MHM will also design and accredit e-courses that will enhance the skills and knowledge of adult learners, supporting in this way the setting up of, and access to upskilling pathways.

Start Date: 01 November 2019

End Date: 31 October 2021

“People dealing with mental health challenges and especially those living in mental health facilities, experience stigma and social marginalization. The need to find alternative treatment methods beyond pharmaceuticals is of paramount importance. For this reason, the European project "Mental Health Matters through Restorative Art" (MHM) aims to pilot the implementation of educational materials and tools tailored to the needs of mental health professionals and highlight art’s essential role as a way of approaching mental health from a different perspective.

The project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union and has a duration of 24 months (1/11/2019 – 31/10/2021).”

Image and article source: From Press Release