Health Common Good (HCG) is a European Solidarity Corps (ESC) project funded by EACEA (European Education and Culture Executive Agency) and managed by the Link APS Association within the Group Volunteering projects. The project came into fruition as the answer to the simple question, “How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our mental health?”.
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Together, the volunteers of the association perform a variety of activities and engage with local organizations to gather information and opinions from the Altamura community about mental health. HCG actions are not only taking place in Italy but also in Greece and Romania thanks to the collaboration with the partner organizations Actor (Romania) and Hopeland (Greece).
The first mobility of HCG in Italy in Altamura took place in March 2023. During the thirty days spent with the volunteers, they produced two significant informational outputs: the magazine “The Mental Garden,” a collection of articles on mental health, and “Mask Off,” a podcast with interviews and insights on psychological and physical well-being, and the importance of informing people about these topics.
The three subsequent mobilities of the project provided the volunteers with opportunities to experience different situations with various groups of people (children, the elderly, and people with disabilities). During their weeks in Italy, the participants devised and implemented actions for the well-being of each user at the involved centers (Auxilium in Altamura, CRAP in Gravina, and centers 1, 2, 3 Stella in Ginosa Marina) and the students they met (at the “Madre Teresa di Calcutta” and “Tommaso Fiore” schools).
In the fifth and final mobility of HCG, Aaron (Spain), and Alex(Germany),Bircan(Türkiye), Julia(Germany),Mariam(Georgia),Natalia(Spain),Nika(Georgia),Sara(Slovakia), Sophie(Netherlands), Uva(Latvia) are working on communication and the creation of informal activities on the broad theme of mental health. Through social media, articles, and podcasts, the team will share their month together and the many initiatives planned for both adults and children. A final event is also scheduled to take place at the Link Club.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
This is a difficult question.
We were planning to go to the Auxilium, a center for people with mental issues, but first we had to plan what activities to do. And there were so many options. However, before each proposal we had to keep in mind a fundamental question, which sometimes, unfortunately, we forget, “is this something that everyone can do?”
We have to keep in mind that not everyone has the same capabilities, especially in a place like the one we were going to. Not everyone has the same freedom of movement, or the ability to communicate in the same way, so the real task was to plan some games that included everyone, and that everyone could enjoy. We prepared for this by doing some activities ourselves that involved putting ourselves in other people's shoes, understanding their limitations, which was very helpful in preparing everything. There are so many things that sometimes we are not aware of, so it was a good exercise to do.
That's when we started to work on the planning. Our goal was to have a fun time so that everyone could enjoy themselves. We would have two and a half hours there, so we divided the time into three parts. First, we were to introduce ourselves and play a fun game to get people going and get them moving; secondly, the main activities would be developed; and finally, a game to say goodbye and conclude the morning. This led to some brainstorming. There were so many ideas that it was difficult to decide between them all, but we had to make a choice. For the first game we had at least three options that we decided to bring, so we could decide based on what they liked best, and the last game was an easy decision to make. We were lucky, because we could count on the help of Adrian, another volunteer from Linkin auxilium, so we already knew beforehand what they liked the most, such as music, dancing, learning about other countries... Our first activities were around that. As for the rest, after a choice made by the whole team, we decided to do several activities simultaneously, so that everyone could choose what they preferred to do. We ended up choosing an activity with the radio; two that involved more movement, such as petanque and target shooting; and two arts and crafts, origami and a pizza-mandala.
We already had the schedule, what was left to do? Well, we had to get the material! So, divided into groups we set out to prepare everything we needed for the activities. After a while, and once we got it, all we had to do was wait for the next day to arrive.
Activities in AUXILIUM
The day has arrived! We went to Auxilium – Il volo in the morning with our material prepared and eager to start.
After a warm welcome, we made a small presentation of everyone present, and we started with the first game: Guess the dancer. We all stood in a circle except for one person, who had to leave the room while we chose the dancer. Once chosen, he would start the movements that we all had to follow, to throw off the person who had left, and make it harder to guess who was leading the dance. It was a very fun moment! Everyone loved the music and the dancing, so it was a good exercise to start the morning and wake us up. There was lots of laughter and dancing, a great way to start off energized.
One of the first activity we organized was a radio session. We believed that conducting small interviews with the people living in the center would help us get to know them better and build stronger connections. It also provided them with an opportunity to share their thoughts and emotions, allowing them to express themselves, which ultimately has a positive impact on their mental health. The main topics of conversation were introductions, followed by discussions about their well-being, where they feel most comfortable, what they enjoy doing during the day, and more. In addition, the center's coordinator participated in the podcast, offering more insight into mental health issues. In the end, the people living in the center enjoyed the activity, actively engaged with it, and we gained valuable information about their daily lives, which I believe will help us in future visits to other centers.
Then, on the arts and crafts side, on one hand, we had the pizza-mandala. We knew that many people there liked to paint quietly, so we prepared a big mandala divided into different parts, and those who participated in this activity, had to take one of the pieces and color it as they liked. Bircan was in charge of this activity. Towards the end of the day, with all the pieces decorated with beautiful colors, they were cut out and put together on a big black cardboard that we all signed. A real work of art! On the other hand, in a slightly more complicated activity, we did origami. It is very fun to do and the figures that come out are really beautiful. People approached us with curiosity, and Nica and Natalia, the people in charge of this activity, showed them step by step how to make the figures, creating together jumping frogs, rabbits, cranes and hearts. The language could have been a barrier, but we managed to understand each other and have an incredible time among paper figures.
We aimed to make the activities varied and engaging, which is why we selected games like Shooting Targets and Petanque. We created the necessary equipment for the games ourselves. Both are simple and fun, and we believed they would lift the spirits of the people living in the center, positively impacting their mood. They really showed interest in these games, and what is important, we played with them, which helped us build a stronger connection. It was refreshing for them to interact with new people and form closer bonds. Although, as we mention before, there was a language barrier, these types of activities helped to overcome it. Games like these encourage teamwork and friendly competition.
As we learned from a volunteer at the center, the residents are always curious about where the volunteers come from and want to learn more about their countries and cultures. So, for close the day, we decided to organize a game called guess the culture. Each volunteer chose a song in their native language that they felt expressed the culture and character of their country, and the people living in the center had to guess which country the song came from. Some of them even guessed all the songs correctly! We intentionally selected fun songs to create a positive atmosphere. The activity was very enjoyable, and everyone got involved. This type of activity is important because music is a universal language that can transcend language barriers.
To summon up, we had a great morning. We could meet this amazing people, who welcome us with a big smile, and they also enjoy our time together. It was a memorable day for everyone.
FUTURE PLANS
In addition to our visit to Auxilium II Volo, we have more activities planned for the future:
- Activity in Auxilium Albachiara – 19/09
- Activity in Questa Città, Gravina – 24/09
- Activities at the School “Madre Teresa di Calcutta” – 26/09
- Activities at the School “Tommaso Fiore“– 30/09
We are committed to creating activities for each center, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate. Our goal is to make these events inclusive and accessible to all. This way, we can engage the entire community in meaningful way.
We would be delighted if others want to join us in these activities. Your involvement will make a difference! For more information or to get involved, please follow this link: https://www.linkyouth.org/progetti/erasmus
Article written by Mariam, Natalia and Nika - Volunteer of the Health Common Good project, funded by EACEA's European Solidarity Corps programme
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