Project Title: Art-Driven Capacity Building for Mental Health De-stigmatization (ROLES)

Duraton: 24 months

The project aims to equip youth professionals with art-based methodologies to address mental health stigma and foster inclusive youth work. Its key objectives include:

  • Capacity Building: Enhancing the skills of youth workers, trainers, and mentors in using artistic and expressive tools (such as theatre and role-playing) to tackle mental health misconceptions.
  • Combating Stigma: Promoting social inclusion and challenging stereotypes around mental health across Europe and the Western Balkans.
  • Strengthening Resilience: Supporting the professional growth and emotional resilience of youth professionals through cross-border knowledge transfer.
  • Empowerment: Increasing access to arts-based non-formal education for young people, including those with fewer opportunities, to foster community engagement.
  • Sustainable Resources: Developing a comprehensive Trainer’s Toolkit and other open-source materials to ensure long-term impact and replicability of the project’s methods.

Partners

The consortium consists of seven organizations from both EU and Western Balkan countries:

  1. United Societies of Balkans (USB) (Coordinator) – Greece
  2. Fundacja Sempre a Frente – Poland
  3. Teatro Metaphora – Associação de Amigos das Artes – Portugal
  4. Hodina H. – Czechia
  5. Udruženje Agencija Lokalne Demokratije iz Mostara (LDA Mostar) – Bosnia and Herzegovina
  6. Albanian Center for Education, Care and Training (ACT Center) – Albania
  7. Inicijativa Mladih za Ljudska Prava (YIHR) – Montenegro

On January 15-16, 2026, the ACT Center was proud to host our international partners in Tirana for the project’s official kick-off meeting. This two-day gathering served as the foundation for our collaborative efforts.

During the sessions, the consortium focused on:

  • Defining the strategic work packages for the coming years.
  • Outlining the specific responsibilities of each international partner.
  • Establishing the immediate first steps for implementation across our local communities.

Art has the unique ability to translate the unspoken. Through ROLES, we aren’t just talking about mental health; we are creating a transformative language for it.We are officially ready to embark on this creative and transformative journey! Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for updates, upcoming workshops, and insights into how art is reshaping the landscape of mental health.

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