"<< Background >>“LGBTIQ Youth affirmative mental health approaches” is a Key Action 2 project which aims to strengthen capacities of partner organisations in the field, to create a network of Eu community of practices, to upskill youth workers and mental health professionals from the field and exchange good practices through the development of innovative project results based on the concept of Body oriented mental health as a tool for working with LGBTIQ youth mental health in Europe.As stated in the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 ""Discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and sex characteristic can also have a significant impact on LGBTIQ people’s physical, mental and sexual health and their well‑being. EU research has demonstrated significant health inequalities between the LGBTIQ community and the population as a whole 20 . In addition, LGBTIQ people are often reluctant to seek healthcare, because they have experienced or fear hostile reactions from health professionals and still struggle to access quality and affordable medication and care, including community and social care. Those who have disabilities, are elderly, migrants, or come from ethnic or religious minority background are particularly vulnerable to discrimination. The COVID-19 crisis has increased this vulnerability"".Recent research also shows that even when greater social acceptance and support for equal rights is present, it has not always translated into clear improvements in LGBTIQ people’s lives. In a 2019 survey, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) found that discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and sex characteristics was actually increasing in the EU: 43% of LGBT people declared that they felt discriminated against in 2019, as compared to 37% in 2012. In addition it is highlighted in the The European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 ""A significant and increasing number of young people across Europe are expressing their concern at the prevalence of mental health issues such as high stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses amongst their peers. Young people cite the immense societal pressures they face today, and express a need for better youth mental health provision"". Therefore one of the main targets on the EU level is provide all professionals working with young people as well as family and friends with quality mental health first aid trainingApproach to mental health, not to mention therapeutic perspective, has been on rise in the last couple of years, and especially nowadays having in mind global pandemic. Namely, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other self-identified queer (LGBTQ) youth have higher rates of mental health issues than people in the general population. This could be due to neglect, lack of support, discrimination, trauma, abuse, etc that could potentially lead to poor mental health, suicide, substance abuse, anti-social behaviour, at risk sexual encounters, depression, stress, anxiety etc. To tackle some of these issues and to create a support network, community of practices and peer support networks we would like to explore body-oriented approaches in working with LGBTIQ youth mental health that could potentially lead to regaining strength, power, self-esteem and self-acceptance within this cohort. We would like to explore what is out there within the EU context, how we could collaborate, grow together, learn from each other and of course to create resources that capture all these practices at one place. Alongside building an international community of practices and sharing knowledge it would be of advantage to capture case studies of the work that partners have been implementing so far. project resources or intellectual outputs developed will be presented as a Guidebook and series of educational/tool presenting videos that would be disseminated across EU and available for use for the organisations interested in LGBTIQ youth men<< Objectives >>Main objective of the project would be to increase the quality of mental health in the young LGBTIQ population in the EU. Specific objective 1: To develop innovative model of affirmative mental health approach to LGBTIQ youth population based on the partners experiences in affirmative mental health approaches in working with LGBTIQ youth such as: sports, embodiment, dance, trauma sensitive yoga, movement, theatre and culture Specific objective 2: To strengthen the capacities of the organisations in the LGBTIQ mental health field<< Implementation >>To ensure we are reaching our objectives and the objectives of the call we will implement following activities:1. Transnational project meetings2. Study visits and testing of the project results3. Production of 2 Intellectual outputs - 1. Guide book for community of practices (including research in the field) and 2. 18 educational videos on different LGBTIQ youth mental health approaches 4. Evaluation and Impact 5. Multiplier events including Final conferenceStudy visit and testing of the project results activities will take part in partner countries with aim of applying and testing the new competencies gained through the research and development of the different mental health approaches while spreading new knowledge and skills among other youth workers and mental health practitioners on European levels but also strengthening capacities of the organisations included in this project.The study visits aim at the exchange of practices in the expertise area of each organisation. The participants in the study visits will have an active role in documenting their learning and evaluating their new skills. This is the core activity of the project and the starting point for the development of new tools related to mental health and inclusion. The testing activities will serve the purpose of practising and applying the knowledge gained during the study visits. It also aims to support and empower the active participation of young people and their engagement with the approach of peer support.Production of 2 Resources is aiming at sustainability of the project while ensuring youth workers, young people and diversified mental health professionals from the field but also educators in Europe could benefit from it and implement those approaches in their support work with LGBTIQ youth. The project will involve two target groups: -youth workers and mental health professionals working in the LGBTIQ sector but also young people aged 18 - 30 years old. The youth workers and mental health professionals will gain new competences necessary for implementing inclusive and diversified youth mental health programmes in their local communities. This will positively impact LGBTIQ youth's psycho-emotional and body state of being, their overall capacity coping mechanisms, positive life attitudes and healthier lifestyles. to develop their own social, youth and cultural initiatives both on national and European levels. The young people involved in the youth exchange will become aware of the values of importance of different mental health approaches so they could act as a peer support network.<< Results >>Five partner organisations from five different countries (Serbia, Ireland, Greece, Slovakia, Croatia) plus Queer Sport Split as an applicant will work together for 30 months to the capacities of the partner organisations in the LGBTIQ youth mental health and develop an innovative project results in the area of their expertise; Croatia in Mental ill and mental health support , Ireland in Theatre of the oppressed Greece in Queer clowning,, Slovakia in Culture and Serbia will act as Impact and Evaluation partner due to their extensive expertise in the filed. All of the partners will be included in the creation of the Guidebook and educational videos.The whole process especially production of the IO's will strengthen the capacity of partnering and overall EU organisations and stakeholders in their work with LGBTIQ youth mental health.Guidebook will be developed specifically for the youth workers and mental health practitioners working with LGBTIQ youth. This Guidebook will equip them with skills on how to tackle their bias and make their approaches more affirmative, inclusive and introduce them to more diverse approaches. The focus will be placed on skills development of the youth workers and mental health practitioners working with LGBTIQ youth in understanding, empowerment and discovering personal resources. It will be focused on how to deliver change and the improvement within the field. Second Intellectual output - LGBTIQ youth affirmative mental health educational videos, are much needed to create short but powerful series of visual materials available for free usage of all interested in this field. Each video will break down specific methods for the youth workers, mental health professionals, educators, but also parents and youngsters themselves. In simple but affirmative, inclusive and empowering tones this videos will reinforce the means of worth among the target group, empathy amongst those working with young people and it will serve as a base how to implement LGBTIQ sensitive and affirmative approaches while creating mental health programmes for LGBTIQ youth."