MYndTheater

🎭 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐘𝐧𝐝𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫: Developing Forum Theatre-Based Competences in Youth Work

During the third module of our training, we went deeper into the discovery of Forum Theatre.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬? 🤔
Forum Theatre is a participatory form of theatre that comes from the Theatre of the Oppressed and is shaped by real experiences and real needs. It places the spectator at the center of the theatrical act, inviting reflection, participation, and action. Through theatre, people are empowered to take a stand on social issues that concern them.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? 👣
During this webinar, our youth workers explored how this powerful tool can be used when working with young people, creating spaces for dialogue, critical thinking, and collective reflection.

The session combined theory and practice. Through hands-on exercises and role-playing, participants stepped into the role of “actors” themselves, exploring concrete scenarios connected to the digital environment 📱 and the mental health of young people 🧠. Experiencing the process from the inside allowed for deeper understanding and meaningful learning.

This webinar also served as a preparation for the next step of the MYndTheater training journey: the first 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐭𝐨-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚 this January🌍 . The process continues, and the exploration goes on.

Stay tuned ... more is coming 👀✨

✨MYndTheater - Second Webinar✨

This week we held our second webinar of the MYndTheater project, focusing on a topic that is becoming increasingly central in the lives of young people: 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 & 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.

📱During the session, we explored 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 that youth may face online, and we also discussed how these dynamics can influence self-esteem, identity formation, and overall mental well-being.

What made the webinar particularly meaningful was the interactive nature of the discussion: participants openly shared personal observations, experiences, and reflections related to various 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬. These exchanges helped deepen our understanding of how digital interactions can shape emotional responses and relational patterns.

The session also served as a reminder of the importance of awareness, empathy, and resilience when supporting young people in online environments.

We can't wait to continue our journey with the MYndTheater project!
Stay tuned✨

✨ MYndTheater – First Webinar Reflections ✨

The digital world can pull us into endless scrolling, constant comparison, fear, sleeplessness, and a disconnect from who we are.
Can you relate?

Yesterday we kicked off the first webinar of the 6-part MYndTheater journey, and what an inspiring start it was!

We began by presenting the project, its objectives, and the amazing partners behind it. Through interactive and fun activities, we discovered each other’s superpowers, the unique strengths we’ll carry into the work ahead.

One thing quickly became clear:
💛 A safe space to talk, express, and truly feel understood about the digital world isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.

Youth Workers and Professionals opened up about the many challenges they see and experience online: from cybersecurity risks, fake identities, phishing, lack of privacy, and harassment, to social pressure, misinformation, addiction, emotional overload, and the impact the digital world has on mental health.

But we also highlighted the bright side: the ability to meet people across borders, learn anything anytime, find inspiration, connect with communities, access limitless information, share ideas and art, raise awareness, and build meaningful spaces together.

We can’t wait to explore how everyone’s strengths will shape something truly impactful.

The real challenge now is: how can we use all these insights to empower, support, and guide the mental health of young people?

This first webinar showed us that MYndTheater is not just a project; it’s a community learning to navigate the digital world with awareness, creativity, and care.

On to the next session! 🚀🎭💛

Stay with us, and be part of the conversation.

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘
From the MYndTheater Project

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵”

Young people across Europe are spending more time online than ever before, but at what cost to their mental health? 🧠💻

Our research paper examines the digital risks and challenges faced by young adults (18–25) in 𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲, 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐞, 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚, 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐨, 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚, 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐳𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚.

🔍 Key insights from the study:

Between 𝟭𝟱% 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟲𝟬% of young people in Europe have experienced cyberbullying (in Albania, shockingly, 𝟲 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟬 youth report being victims).

Excessive screen time (3–6 hours daily) 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗢𝗠𝗢.

Online spaces can be both 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗳𝘂𝗹, offering community while also enabling anxiety, addiction, and isolation.

Parents, teachers, and schools often 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

💡 Most importantly, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 co-created with young participants: building resilience, strengthening digital literacy, and 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲.

👉 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 the full research paper here: [https://myndtheater.eu/research-paper-the-impact-of-online-life-on-youth-mental-health/]

Let’s act together to make the digital world safer and healthier for our youth! 💙🌍

The focus Group experience by our Italian partners Twoplustwo and Dreamy!!!

🎯 Digital Life & Mental Health: Youth Voices at the Center 🧠📱

"On May 6th, we gathered young people (aged 19–25), youth workers and Stakeholders in San Giorgio a Cremano for an in-depth focus group on how digital technologies and social media impact their emotional wellbeing, identity, relationships, and learning. 🌐✨
Led by Dreamy and TwoplusTwo facilitators, the session created a safe space for personal stories, honest reflections, and collective insights.

Participants spoke about:
🔹 Emotional highs and lows triggered by social media
🔹 The challenge of disconnecting from addictive platforms
🔹 Cyberbullying, digital fatigue, and online harassment
🔹 A desire for tools that promote digital balance and mental wellbeing
🔹 The urgent need for peer-led education and youth-driven change"

📸 Stay tuned for more insights and next steps!

Heartfelt words from our Serbian partner Dah Teatar, related to our project, to promote young people's mental health through an innovative tool, the 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 methodology, in response to the threats present in digital environments.

"Due to the turbulent but revolutionary moment in Serbia, we had the opportunity to organize an in-person focus group with young people and a few youth workers.

We were surprised by how open the young participants were to discussion, even though many of them had heard about forum theatre for the first time.

The young people expressed a strong need for trust and connection.

They really enjoyed the conversation with us about ICT and seemed eager to continue discussing these topics.

If we hadn’t needed to finish, it felt like they could have talked all day."

From our amazing Montenegrin partner, Prona - Montenegrin Science Promotion Foundation!!!

"In the previous period, we held several important and interesting conversations with various individuals on the topic of young people’s mental health, particularly regarding the use of social networks.

We had the opportunity to talk and hear experiences from people of different profiles, ages and experiences.

In interesting and honest conversations, various topics concerning the mental health of young people were opened, and we heard different experiences, how and in what way they fought with this problem or helped others to cope."

🎭 MYndTheater Focus Groups: Thank You for Your Voice! 🎭

Over the past few weeks, Action Synergy had the pleasure of hosting a series of focus groups for the MYndTheater project — empowering young people's mental health through the use of theatre techniques.

These sessions brought together a diverse group of voices: performers, mental health professionals, youth, educators, and community leaders. Your insights, lived experiences, and honest reflections are helping shape a space where mental health meets the stage — with empathy, authenticity, and purpose.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who participated.

Your contributions are not only informing our creative process but also ensuring that the project remains grounded in real needs, real stories, and real impact.

Stay tuned for next steps, and thank you for being part of the journey. 💡

News from our Serbian partner - Dah Teatar 🥰

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄

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Launch of 𝐌𝐘𝐧𝐝𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 Project to promote young people's mental health through an innovative tool, the 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 methodology, in response to the threats present in digital environments.

New 𝐄𝐔 𝐜𝐨-𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 aims to valorize the cooperation between Europe and 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐬, and contrast the historical scenario that in the past was afflicted by war and violence.

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐬 and stay up-to-date with all of our latest news and updates!

Alt text description for the visually impaired:

NEWS RELEASE
MYndTheater consortium
1 Nov 2024 – 31 Oct 2026

The MYndTheater project is Co-funded by the European Union.

Aims to promote the mental health of young people through the Forum Theater methodology, in response to the threats present in digital environments.

MYndTheater will focus on developing key skills in young people, such as knowledge skills, life skills, psycho-emotional skills, and practical skills that allow them to be better equipped to protect their emotional and psychological well-being during their online interaction and mitigate any negative repercussions on their real life.

The project foresees the application of the forum theater approach in the youth organizations as a non-formal strategy for the development of these skills, promoting expression, dialogue, empowerment, resilience, education, and awareness on these issues, within the dynamics of digital environments.

In addition to simultaneously promoting community participation and social support for the creation of new socio-affective relationships.

Taking into consideration these facts, MYndTheater was created and launched in November 2024.

The project is also in line with the priority of European Commission for the period 2019-2024: a) The “European Digital Agenda” and especially the part of the strategy which is related to the creation of “open, democratic and sustainable digital society”.

The consortium consists of Two Plus Two – Italy, Action Synergy – Greece, UG DAH Teatar - Serbia, DREAMY - Italy, Prona - Montenegro, Together For Life - Albania, BRAVO - Bosnia and Herzegovina, and SFERA INT – North Macedonia.

The partnership is aimed at valorizing the cooperation between Europe and Western Balkans. In particular, the project aims at improving the collaboration between Italy, Greece, 2 “third countries associated to the Programme” like North Macedonia and Serbia and 3 countries from Western Balkan (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro), and contrast the historical scenario that in the past was afflicted by war and violence.

The specific objectives of the project are:

- to broaden knowledge and understanding of the risks, threats, and impact on youth in their lives in digital environments,
- to promote non-formal education methodology based on the application of Forum Theater to the digital environment,
- to provide youth workers involved in youth mental health promotion and theater performance with key knowledge and practical skills related to the approach of the Forum Theater,
- to increase the level of employability of youth workers involved in youth mental health promotion and theater performance,
- to develop in youth workers and young people specific skills that allow them to have a better understanding of virtual environments, to develop specific Soft Skills (Psycho-emotional skills and Life skills) in youth workers, to increase and enhance the cooperation and networking between partners and youth organizations focused on the issues related to the promotion of mental health,
- to promote, at a local level, the discussion and the public debate on the issue of mental health, and
- to support the development of youth work in third countries not associated with the program, improving its quality and recognition; strategic alliance with Western Balkans countries.

Twoplustwo | Action Synergy | Dah Teatar | Dreamy| Prona - Montenegrin Science Promotion Foundation | Shoqata Together for Life | BRAVO - Bosnian Representative Association for Valuable Opportunities | SFERA International