"Inclusive Paths

Objectives:

  • Improve Mental Health and Well-Being: Reduce anxiety, depression, and stress by 30% through Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs).
  • Increase School Attendance and Engagement: Increase school attendance by 20% and extracurricular participation by 50%, creating a sense of belonging and academic success.
  • Build Social Skills and Peer Relationships: Promote inclusive social interactions and enhance social skills to combat isolation.
  • Develop a Sustainable AAI Model: Create and disseminate a toolkit and training curriculum to 50 organizations across Europe, ensuring the scalability and sustainability of AAIs.

Results:
By the end of the project, we expect to have:

  • A validated training curriculum for AAIs.
  • Documented best practices for integrating AAIs into educational and therapeutic settings.
  • An accessible digital platform to support resource-sharing and collaboration across Europe.
    These outcomes will enhance professional capacity, improve the mental health and educational engagement of adolescents, and provide sustainable resources for use across various educational and therapeutic settings.

Priorities and Topics Addressed:
The project aligns with the Erasmus+ priority of Inclusion and Diversity in education, training, youth, and sport, while also addressing:

  • Reinforcing links between policy, research, and practice
  • Strengthening youth employability

Key topics include:

  • Inclusion of marginalized young people
  • Mental health and well-being
  • Innovative curricula and educational approaches

Target Groups:
The project targets the following groups:

  1. Young People Aged 11-16 with Low School Attendance
  2. Adolescents with Mental Health Challenges
  3. Socially Isolated Adolescents.
  4. Adolescents Resistant to Traditional Therapies
  5. Youth Workers

 

Title: Inclusive Paths: Animal-Assisted Interventions for Wellbeing

Running dates: January 2025 – December 2026

Programme: Erasmus+ KA220-YOU – Cooperation partnerships in Youth

ID number: 2024-2-SE02-KA220-YOU-000295253

Inclusive Paths aims to improve the mental health and social inclusion of vulnerable adolescents through Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs), increase school attendance and social engagement, and enhance the capacity of youth workers and volunteers to support these adolescents effectively. By providing innovative, non-traditional therapeutic embodied educational methods, we seek to reduce isolation, foster social skills, and build a supportive environment for better educational and social outcomes


Addressing the Needs:
The project will provide specialized training in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs) for educators, mental health professionals, and volunteers, ensuring effective support for vulnerable adolescents. By integrating AAIs into existing educational and mental health frameworks, we offer a non-judgmental approach to reduce stress, build resilience, and re-engage socially isolated adolescents. Standardized tools will monitor effectiveness, and parents will receive guidance to reinforce positive outcomes at home. Volunteers and community workers will also be trained, creating a sustainable, community-driven framework for ongoing support.