The Di Liegro Foundation has been operating in the field of mental health since 2006, collaborating with public and private institutions in the implementation of projects, activities and research aimed at promoting psychosocial well-being, the prevention of mental distress and the dissemination of culture and knowledge of mental health. Over time, this commitment has focused in particular on youthful distress, organizing thematic training courses, emotional literacy projects and training courses peer education in schools, research activities.
The observation that mental health in the young age group, a crucial moment in development and for the onset of possible developmental difficulties, is in fact a topic of great importance and on which it is necessary to act in terms of information, protection and prevention, was further validated by2018 edition of World Mental Health Day, dedicated to “young people and mental health in a changing world”.
In fact, data from the World Health Organization underline that 10-20% of children and adolescents worldwide suffer from depressive disorders and that neuro-psychiatric pathologies are the main cause of disability in young people in all WHO Regions. One in six adolescents aged 10-19 suffers from mental disorders. Furthermore, 50% problems begin before the age of 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated. And again: suicide is the third cause of death among young people between 15 and 19 years old.
There is a real risk that mental health problems developed during adolescence may continue into adulthood or even become chronic (WHO, 2005).
From these considerations comes the Foundation's commitment to paying particular attention to youth age group. The actions undertaken have the aim of strengthening, through direct and indirect interventions, protective factors so as to prevent the development of mental health problems.
Projects and initiatives of the Di Liegro Foundation for young people:
Educational poverty and commitment of the Third Sector: Joining forces, training and informing, reflecting on the meaning of equality and equity. But above all, take into consideration the needs of young people and make them protagonists. These are the themes of the speech Anna Maria Palmieri, psychologist-psychotherapist of the Di Liegro Foundation at the workshop “The Educational Community in the time of coronavirus. Analysis, reflections, ideas and proposals for the creation of a Smart Educating Community", organized by the "Free the future" project.
To fight educational poverty, the Third Sector can contribute to helping schools by joining forces. This does not mean delegating roles and functions, but valuing everyone's strengths and understanding the contribution that each entity can make for a path, a common project like “Free the future”.
Another fundamental aspect is to support training as well information activities, which is a distinctive feature of the Di Liegro Foundation. The different educational agencies must engage on both fronts, as training and information agencies, which favor both formal and non-formal learning modes. It can happen within youth aggregation centers or in training courses, where it is possible to experiment with different paths compared to institutions or alongside them to create generative movements.
At the same time, it's important distinguish between “equality” and “equity”. Equality requires that everyone is treated in the same way, that everyone has the same things: in the case of distance learning it means providing a good connection and a valid computer to everyone. Equity instead means giving the same opportunities. If we go to the etymology of the word "crisis" (from the Greek "krino": separate, discern, judge), we see that the crisis caused by the Coronavirus offers us the opportunity to evaluate and make new choices, in short, to seize an opportunity. For this reason, the needs of young people must be kept in mind. Equity, therefore, also means considering that the evolutionary trajectories of adolescents are not all the same, so making sure that with distance learning, in front of a monitor, they do not get lost. We must ensure that every child can find their own educational channel to express themselves.
Just think about technology. Alongside digital natives we find digital immigrants, those born before '95. During the COVID-19 emergency, this disparity in IT knowledge clearly emerged and, in many cases, it was the students who taught their teachers how to use the platforms. It was about an important moment from an educational point of view, because it allows children to have their competence recognized in mutual training courses and to be taken seriously. Our experience with the Di Liegro Foundation, with emotional literacy projects and peer education, tells us that one of the main needs of children is precisely this: to be taken seriously.
In fact, experience tells us that it is difficult to involve children in projects. In adolescence the points of reference change, the privileged interlocutors of their dialogue are no longer family and school, but the group. This is why it is necessary to choose different methodologies (such as peer education and youth workers, to get young people working on a range of skills. Educational poverty must not be accompanied by emotional poverty. We know that learning goes hand in hand with emotion and that emotions support learning: we must therefore support emotional and social skills,. A complexity that the School is called to keep in mind. Working together, joining forces to address these complexities is the way forward.
#Freethefuture is a three-year project, in which the Di Liegro Foundation also participates, dedicated to Roman students, between 11 and 17 years old, from five Municipalities of the Capital (I, VII, VIII, forms of youth hardship, such as dropping out of school, petty crime and vandalism. The objective of #Liberailfuture is to reduce the threat of isolation and social marginalization. With the hope, once the project is concluded, of having created a neighborhood relational fabric capable of supporting the identity formation of the new generations (community welfare) and of restoring to young people the value of solidarity and active participation in civil life.
“They say: there is a psychologist. But I'm not crazy, going to the psychologist. You have to tell me: come, I'll listen to you. If you want to publicize it you have to say: there is a place where we listen to you. It's very different, because a person wants to be listened to, not cared for."
This is how Aurora describes her experience “peer education” which he has been leading for a couple of years together with the other students of two Roman high schools, Seneca and Dante. It is a project born from the collaboration between the mental health department of ASL Roma 1, the Di Liegro Foundation and the Harcourt Foundation.
“Peer education” is a prevention and health promotion strategy that is spreading in various countries. Students, teachers and psychologists work together with the aim of helping children find psycho-physical and relational well-being, made up of self-esteem, trust, friendship and a sense of security. What they are looking for, often without having a clear understanding, but struggle to find in the group, in the class, in the school. Overcoming the malaise that you experience in adolescence is easier if your peers, appropriately trained, help you. Guys who share your experiences. They become your tutors and lead you towards a path of psychological support.
Every week a listening desk is open at school, with a psychologist expert in developmental age. To book a meeting there is a blank sheet of paper on which the kids can also put a nickname, or just a sign. Because, explains Sofia, one is ashamed to ask for psychological help, in front of friends and even in the family.
For psychologists and teachers the balance of these two years is decidedly positive. The kids who participated in the project have grown and matured. They have become much more aware of issues that concern them, such as cannabis, smoking, alcohol, bullying. Their behaviors have also changed; they are more autonomous, freer, less influenced by negative stimuli that can derive from the peer group.
Everyone agrees that it is an experience to be continued and extended to parents.
