Project Summary

The EMBRACE project aims to address mental health issues among vulnerable children in deprived villages and small towns from Northeast Romania through a model of school-based interventions that will be piloted in 10 schools covering over 4,500 children from primary to high school level.

The implementation of the model will start with the development of a prevention toolkit for children addressing the key health determinants of mental health aimed at educating and supporting children, which will be disseminated at the country level.

The project will provide a systematic approach that will engage primarily children, train teachers and professionals to strengthen the supportive networks, facilitate parental engagement and coordinate with local and national services and institutions. Schools will receive tailored assistance for preventing mental health issues and promoting the well-being of children to create a supportive and nurturing learning environment. One of the pillars of the project will be child participation in the elaboration of the toolkit, decision-making at the school level, peer to peer education. Children will become also advocates at the community level to promote and raise awareness of children’s mental health. The EU strategy for children’s rights will be strengthened and promoted in different contexts of the project.

The project aims to cultivate and leverage local expertise through a consortium of experienced partners – Fundatia Serviciilor Sociale Bethany, Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar, Asociatia “Buna Ziua Copii din Romania” – three grassroots organizations specialized in child protection, social and educational services, Federatia Organizatiilor Neguvernamentale pentru Copil – a federation specialized in advocacy and child rights and Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting – the transnational partner with great expertise in innovative communication, all supported by the local authorities, schools, specialists in social, educational field from the local, regional and national level.

Work package WP1 – Management and coordination activities

To guarantee sound technical and financial management and coordination of the project;
To organize and follow-up the work among the project partners;
To ensure coordination and transparency with the European Agency;
To ensure the project respects the contractual framework.

Work package WP2 – Development of the prevention toolkit for children and young people (6-18 years)

To design, develop and implement a pilot school-based program addressed to children to increase knowledge and prevent child mental health issues at the level of the Northeast region of Romania.
To develop a prevention toolkit for children addressing the key health determinants of mental and physical health, disseminate and scale-up at the regional, national and European level;
To prepare children for exercising their rights, especially their right to express their views, to participate in decisions that affect their lives, to participate in the development of the school-based program;
To develop a rights-based participation in child rights schools guide for professionals working in school;
To ensure inclusive practices by promoting gender equality and mainstreaming gender perspectives in the mental health approaches.

Work package WP3 – Training for Educating Peers, Parents and Professionals

To increase the capacity of school personnel and professional competencies of specialists in educational and psycho-social fields working with vulnerable children to improve the well-being of children and address mental health issues in the Northeast region of Romania;
Develop a training program for specialists working with vulnerable children and strengthen professionals’ network around children.
Enhance the capacity of schools to address the mental health of children;
Provide sessions for parents’ education on child mental health;
Develop school-tailored interventions for mental health, increase awareness, and exchange good practices on promoting mental health among schools and other professionals in the educational and psycho-social fields.

Work package WP4 – Children, volunteers, and community members engagement

Educating communities to create a safe environment for children and promoting practices that keep children safe in regard to their emotional, social, and cognitive development in the Northeast region of Romania, based on child participation and advocacy.
Develop practices at the community level based on child participation and awareness for strengthening community mechanisms around the well-being of children.
Preparation of children in representing their needs for a safer community at the national level through Children’s Forum (national level).

Work package WP5 – Communication and dissemination of the project

The aim of WP5 is to conduct communication, dissemination and awareness-raising activities around children’s mental health issues.
Create an effective communication and dissemination strategy and execute it to reach the desired impacts.
Conduct dissemination activities that specifically target children’s mental health issues to destigmatize them and eventually create an ecosystem better suited to support children’s mental health.