The 5th Meeting of Inclusion and Diversity Officers, held online on September 10, 2024, and organized by SALTO Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Training (SALTO ID ET), brought together more than 35 Inclusion and Diversity Officers from National Agencies across Europe, as well as representatives from the European Commission.
Staying Sane: What is Mental Health and How to Nourish it through Erasmus+?
After a warm welcome by Josip Luša, who introduced Lidija Živković as the new head of the SALTO ID ET, the meeting began with a lecture on mental health and the role of educational institutions in promoting it, given by Petar Dukić, an integrative body-oriented psychotherapist and the facilitator of the event.
The presentation was followed by a good practice example: a Czech Erasmus+ project titled Complete Study Abroad Experience – International Mental Health Program, introduced by a member of one of the project partners, Dr. Gediminas Blaževičius from the Department of Applied Mechanics at the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.
Education and Mental Health Go Hand-in-Hand
In the second part of the meeting, the attendees were divided into three parallel working groups, tasked with discussing how educational institutions can work on supporting and promoting mental health with different stakeholders: national agencies, teachers and parents. After a lively discussion, which prompted an exchange of good practices but also raised some very important questions, the groups reported their conclusions and shared ideas on how SALTO ID ET could help them in their future work with applicants and beneficiaries regarding this topic.
The event wrapped up with a dreaming circle session, led by facilitator, who encouraged participants to let their imaginations run free when it comes to visions of an inclusive society.