Deadline: 12-Sep-23
The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is now accepting applications for the PEACEPLUS Programme, Investment Area 3.3 – PEACEPLUS Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Objectives
- The Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing objective will support additional, non-formal provision activity involving cross-community and cross-border multi-partner collaborative approaches, which will lead to improved understanding of youth mental health and wellbeing issues and the sharing of best practice across the programme area to improve service delivery.
- It will result in an increase in the percentage of the youth population in receipt of best practice mental health supports developed and delivered on a collaborative, cross-border basis; which enhance emotional resilience and make a contribution to peace and reconciliation across the programme area.
Themes
- Theme 1: Building Peaceful and Thriving Communities
- Theme 2: Delivering Economic Regeneration and Transformation
- Theme 3: Empowering and Investing in Young People
- Theme 4: Healthy and Inclusive Communities
- Theme 5: Supporting a Sustainable and Better Connected Future
- Theme 6: Building and Embedding Partnership and Collaboration
Funding Information
- The total value of €25m million is available under this call. This consists of €20 million ERDF and €5 million governmental match.
What does the Investment Area “Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme” seek to achieve?
- The Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme will support additional, non-formal activity involving cross-community and cross-border multi-partner collaborative approaches, which will lead to improved understanding of youth mental health and wellbeing issues and approaches, and the sharing of best practice across the programme area to improve service delivery within the wider youth sector, including through the identification of effective referral mechanisms. The programme will make a considerable contribution to peace and reconciliation through the development of enhanced emotional resilience in the young people.
- The legacy of the conflict has left an impact on many communities in Northern Ireland and Ireland, which is still evident across generations of adults and young people. Evidence indicates that children growing up in areas of conflict demonstrate higher levels of mental ill health and anti-social behaviours. These consequences threaten their future and limit their potential contribution to peace and reconciliation and their future roles within their communities.
- The programme has been designed to incorporate the learning of a current PEACE IV pilot youth mental health program, which supports non-formal mental health activities. Other program learning such as REACH and Flare should be incorporated. It will result in the following:
- The development of cross-border, multi-partner and collaborative approaches which will lead to improved understanding and awareness of youth mental health and wellbeing issues and the development and sharing of best practice across the programme area;
- Increased awareness of poor mental health, its impact upon young people and available supports and referral pathways, including approaches that help youth workers optimise supports, while delineating between their role and that of specialist providers;
- The development of accessible, age appropriate, innovative and integrated youth mental health/wellbeing delivery models within the non-formal sector;
- The development of models which focus on the social, emotional and environmental wellbeing of young people to act as advocates for the improvement of mental health and wellbeing;
- The development of interventions structured around the inclusion of young people across the programme area in youth mental health focused advisory and advocacy groups which enhance their capacity for self-advocacy and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing; and
- The development of youth focused capacity building programmes which encompass a focus on: building internal reserves; improving social skills; developing coping and resilience strategies; increasing self-worth and purpose; fostering the ability to form and sustain positive relationships; improving self-confidence; and creating a greater sense of the positive role young people can play within their communities.
- The development of approaches that support the agency of young people as mental health ambassadors and leaders within the wider community.
Eligibility Criteria
- National, regional and local authorities;
- Regional and local development agencies, chambers of commerce;
- Universities, colleges, higher education, research institutions;
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs);
- Sectoral agencies and business support organisations;
- Voluntary sector organisations;
- Other relevant public-like organisations contributing to the development of the programme area;
- Private sector – specifically micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies.
- The programme area for the PEACEPLUS Programme is:
- Northern Ireland;
- The border counties of Ireland (Counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo).
For more information, visit SEUPB.