1. What motivated you to join this youth exchange “Mission Youth Mental Health”?
What motivated me to join this youth exchange was my strong desire and need to learn more about mental health. Many people close to me have been struggling with mental health issues such as depression for a long time, and I truly want to help them feel better. I believe that educating oneself on this topic is the most important way to offer real support and care. Additionally, I have personally experienced anxiety and depression during my final exams, which were extremely challenging. This period affected me both mentally and physically, leading to behaviors such as hair pulling and nail biting, which I now understand were coping mechanisms. Being surrounded by people my age who are like-minded and come from different backgrounds was a major incentive for me to join this youth exchange. I strongly believe that exchanging ideas and interacting with others helps us grow as individuals.
2. What was the most interesting thing you learned during the project? How will you use it?
For me, the most interesting activity was meditation. Learning how to meditate can significantly improve my quality of life and overall well-being. In today’s fast-paced world, it is extremely difficult to make time not only for others, but also for ourselves. After this experience, I am determined to practice meditation daily and consciously make time for myself, which I believe can be life-saving. I also found the PERMA leaflet very helpful, as it encouraged deep self-reflection and helped me better understand myself. As a result of this process, I decided to join a charity and contribute more actively to my community. Discovering my purpose and clarifying my goals feels like the first essential step toward achieving them.
3. Which activity or session did you enjoy the most, and why?
The activity I enjoyed the most was the role-play game using the dolls we had created. It was also my first time working with clay, which made the experience even more fun and relaxing. I felt that my team and I connected deeply and worked very creatively together. Storytelling and acting have always been my passion, but my shyness often held me back from participating fully. This activity gave me a valuable opportunity to open up and engage with others. Creating a story that included all of our dolls was both ingenious and inspiring. I felt a strong sense of belonging during the process, and painting the clay afterward was especially soothing and colorful.
4. How will you use the knowledge and skills from this project in your work back home?
In my case, I will be starting university in a few days as a psychology student, so this project served as an important introduction to the field. I gained valuable experience and developed essential skills, including greater self-confidence. I learned how crucial mental health education is, especially in today’s society, where stigma still exists. I strongly believe that this project helped me broaden my perspective on mental health. As a future psychologist, I will carry these lessons with me, and I will always remember this exchange as the beginning of a long, challenging, but beautiful journey.
5. If you could describe this experience in three words, what would they be?
Mental health journey
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
