The Breaking Taboos about Mental Health (BTMH) project is coming to an end after almost two-years of hard and passionate work from the partnership. We are very proud to transmit the result of our cooperation to future users and youth workers, teachers, and other education professionals who are willing to address mental health with young people in an engaging and creative way.
I think we can say that the BTMH project influenced all the partners deeply not only because of the importance of the topic, but also thanks to the precious collaboration that came out of this project. Was the colourful graphic charter playing some role in this joyous collaboration? We won’t know, but what we are sure is that it resulted in meaningful exchanges, thoughtful comments and discussions that forced the whole partnership to think further and to question our own ideas and viewpoints. The reward? All the great workshops led by the partners this autumn (read our article here) that not only received a warm welcome, but were also thought-provoking for our participants.
Erasmus+ projects that spark such enthusiasm for new approaches are precious, this is why we wanted to share our experience with you.
Enjoy the reading!
Julia Cardinale for Les Apprimeurs
ARTeria Foundation
Breaking Taboos about Mental Health. A project that engaged me, as a member of the ARTeria Foundation, very positively. I make no secret of the fact that issues of mental wellbeing and the destigmatisation of this topic have always been within my sphere of interest. It was therefore with great pleasure that I took on the role of project coordinator on behalf of my organisation.
There were lots of good moments during the creation of the project materials. Great cooperation throughout the partnership, exchanging experiences and views with great culture and sensitivity. As a result, we can boast of brilliantly and reliably developed materials that will certainly have a long life as tools for work in schools, youth centres, youth outreach centres. I am deeply convinced of this. There were also challenges. The biggest one was precisely to make sure that the final result of all the developed resources was consciously and responsibly complete, professional, valuable and credible. Hence the great responsibility of all partners for the guides, posters, infographics, activity sheets, etc. created. Because the topic is important and serious, because young people reaching out to our materials should gain helpful and functional knowledge from them.
For both ARTeria and me personally, the project was very engaging. It fits in with our interests in innovative education, caring for wellbeing, combining educational and artistic activities. Personally, I learned that it is possible to successfully use a variety of interesting tools and ways to talk about mental health in an accessible way. The comic, which I have known since I was a child, has proven to be a great form by combining imagery and a concise message. It is therefore possible to tackle difficult issues not with a scientific essay, but precisely in the form of a comic strip loved by young people. Has the project changed my personal outlook on mental health? I am pleased with how it has reinforced my conviction that mental health needs to be talked about without shame, without stigma, openly and clearly. It has confirmed my belief in teaching this to young people, in instilling in them the importance of fighting stereotypes about emotions and wellbeing. This bodes well for the future, including in my country, where the topic of mental health often and still raises dilemmas.
This vision is also confirmed by the comics-making workshops held in Poland. The involvement of the young people, the willingness with which the young people constructed a storyline that demeans a chosen stereotype and their openness to share their reflections on the forum were some of the most enjoyable moments of the project. In the local context, judging by the curiosity I encountered among the school psychologists, the guests invited to the multiplier event and the promotion of the project by our external partners, I can confidently say that the objectives were met. And, in short, there is much to be pleased about.
What’s next? The project is alive. There is a beautifully and engagingly designed website. There are people sympathetic to the project and who understand its value. We can only look optimistically to the future with the deep belief that there will be more than one more opportunity to talk about the project and present its results.
Ewa Grynicka
Druskininkai Youth Activity Centre
Firstly, this project broadened our knowledge on mental health issues and symptomatic in general. It brought new tools that we never applied while working with youth, allowing us to creatively address mental health topics through comic creation workshops. Additionally, these workshops have given us a unique method that can be integrated into youth work during our activities, youth exchanges, and summer camps. They also offered creative tools for social workers and teachers, enabling them to address these sensitive topics more effectively. It even brought us new partnerships and new activity ideas.
There were several rewarding parts, starting from amazing and supportive partners to the most positive feedback from our community, specialists and colleagues working in the youth field. Our Centre also involved an EVS volunteer in several creation sessions, where she openly shared her experiences with mental illness. This was an incredibly impactful and meaningful experience for our team. The comic creation methodology also stood out as one of the most rewarding elements being both highly engaging and multipurpose.
The biggest challenge was managing the large amount of information and adapting it into a format that was both engaging and easy to comprehend. Our goal was to create tools and resources for such sensitive and complex topics in a way that was light and accessible. We wanted to avoid making it as heavy or overwhelming as mental health struggles can often feel and instead aimed to highlight that there is hope and positivity.
The project emphasised the importance of awareness, recognition, and early intervention, as well as the value of creative approaches to addressing mental health challenges. We now see mental health as a vital component of overall well-being that demands continuous support and open communication and dialogue.
On a personal level, the project taught us the importance of active listening and expanded our knowledge on recognising various symptoms. We also learned about mental health disorders we had never encountered before and discovered that creative expression is a powerful and effective tool for support.
Locally, the project has strengthened collaborations between schools, youth centres. It has fostered a supportive network that is better equipped to address mental health challenges. The project also raised awareness and encouraged more open conversations about mental health within our community.
As a result, we plan to integrate the project’s resources into various initiatives, including school programs, youth worker training, and community events, youth camps and during youth exchanges. These tools, such as the comic creation methodology, will remain central to our efforts in promoting mental health awareness and breaking down stigma.
Aušra Nedzinskienė & Indraja Čiukauskienė
Logopsycom
Breaking Taboos About Mental Health has been one of the most rewarding projects I’ve had the chance to work on. For our organisation, it’s brought a wealth of creative and practical tools—like the interactive comics, the Prevention Kit, engaging workshop plans or the comic Library—that have completely transformed the way we address mental health. These resources have allowed us to start meaningful conversations, not just with youth workers and educators but also directly with young people.
The most fulfilling part of this project has been watching participants open up during the workshops. Many started hesitant, unsure, or even reluctant to engage with the topic of mental health. By the end, you could see the shift—they were more open, confident, and willing to talk about their feelings or support others. Seeing young people, educators, and youth workers challenge stereotypes and engage with mental health topics in such a personal and honest way was inspiring. Their willingness to explore and grow made me feel proud of what we were creating together.
Of course, there were challenges. Mental health can still be a sensitive and stigmatised topic in many settings, and finding ways to start conversations without making anyone feel uncomfortable requires careful thought. But those challenges were also opportunities—they reminded me just how vital it is to approach these subjects with empathy and creativity.
On a personal level, this project taught me to recognise the power of small, consistent actions—like a supportive workshop or a shared story—to create continuous effects of understanding and change. It’s made me more attuned to the struggles people face and reinforced how important it is to create safe spaces for open dialogue.
At a local level, this project has already started to make a difference. Through partnerships with schools and youth organisations, we’ve seen a growing willingness to prioritise mental health in education and community programmes. It feels like the start of something much bigger.
And this is only the beginning! We’re planning to keep the Breaking Taboos resources alive by integrating them into our training sessions for educators and youth workers, offering them to schools and youth centres, and even using them in our summer camps. These tools are too valuable to set aside—they have the potential to keep sparking those vital conversations and fostering real change for years to come.
I cannot wait to see the exciting afterlife of this greatly good-looking project.
Zavod Risa
The Breaking Taboos About Mental Health project has had a significant impact on our organisation. It has provided us with valuable tools and resources to raise awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, especially among young people. This European project has not only enhanced our understanding of mental health but has also equipped us with practical materials to help youth workers and educators better support young individuals facing mental health challenges.
We gained valuable new resources, particularly in the form of educational materials. The development of a preventive kit, which includes infographics, brochures and pedagogical sheets, has provided us with practical tools to facilitate open discussions about mental health with young people. These materials are written in simple, accessible language, making them beneficial for both youth workers and teenagers. Additionally, the interactive comics created as part of the project have proven to be an engaging and effective way to raise awareness about mental health issues and encourage empathy among young individuals.
During the project, we also faced challenges, especially in dealing with the strong stigma around mental health. Many young people and professionals still find it hard to talk openly about mental health, which makes it difficult to provide the support needed.
We plan to continue using the resources from Breaking Taboos About Mental Health in our future projects. We will integrate the materials into our ongoing programs, ensuring that the valuable lessons learned during this project continue to benefit both youth workers and young people in our community. These resources will serve as an essential part of our efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote mental health as an important aspect of overall well-being.
By continuing to use and share the project’s resources, we hope to create a more supportive environment for mental health in our community, empowering individuals to seek help and engage in meaningful conversations about their mental health.
Together, we can break down barriers and create a healthier, more understanding future for all. We deeply appreciate our project partners for their outstanding collaboration and invaluable support throughout the entire project.
Maša Jereb
Final thoughts
The project might be coming to a closure in terms of Erasmus+ funding, but we are looking forward to seeing its evolutions in the different countries and we hope it will find future users as enthusiastic and passionate as we were during these two years.
