Health care systems are facing an unprecedented challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic called for a rapid reaction from health systems and governments.

Leading the fight to contain the pandemic are health care workers and volunteers, but those of us at home are also witnessing at first hand the importance of investment in public health care to protect both patients and clinical teams.

Reports of the most critical conditions including overcrowded hospitals and makeshift intensive care units have shone a spotlight on an issue which perhaps would not have had received such awareness without Coronavirus.

We thank the health care workers for their dedication and selfless work and we recognise the incredible efforts of all workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

Today is the World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Day, a day to celebrate the work of 22 million nurses and 2 million midwives who make up half of the global health workforce.

«Together, they are the cornerstone of the strong, resilient health systems needed to achieve universal health coverage. They prescribe life-saving drugs, administer vaccines, provide family planning advice, and assure expert care during childbirth. Without them, millions of mothers and children have no one to diagnose illnesses, dispense treatment, or assist at births».

WHO also wants to stress the key role of health workers in the dialogue between cultures, in the study of clinical data and in supporting patients' doubts and fears, regardless of race or ethnicity.

While it’s certain that the impact of Covid-19 will be felt long after the virus is contained, it’s important that the legacy it leaves behind is that health care matters.

Strengthening health responses and ensuring access to quality health care and services for all through new models of preparedness and response is key.

There must be further awareness-raising and health promotion activity in which civil society plays a key role. CESIE, through our Adult Unit has been committed to supporting improvements to health to ensure widespread prevention measures and free access to health care are implemented. Current activities include:

EUYOUTH4HEALTH – Engaging European YOUTH in promoting HEALTH prevention

Comes out from the necessity to encourage young unemployed people, aged between 23 and 30, in today's job market, through the definition and validation of a CV that addresses the skills gap in digital communication and marketing strategies for health prevention. By providing young people with useful skills for their inclusion in today's job market, the project also aims to improve the interaction between VET providers, unemployed young people, SMEs and public agencies / companies that work in the field of health prevention by creating interaction opportunities aimed at improving their practices and communicating more and better with a wider audience. To date, the project partners have developed a market analysis report conducted in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Greece and Austria, which contains information on the health prevention sector, a mapping of stakeholders, a list of companies that work in the field of health prevention and of the worst and best practices regarding digital communication and promotion measures and strategies. In the next months, a training course on digital communication and promotion strategies for companies that work in the field of health prevention will be developed and this will support young participants in obtaining concrete skills to enter this sector and improve their professional condition, as well as that of the countries in which they live.

For further information, please contact Simona Palumbo, simona.palumbo@cesie.org.

LIFE AND HEALTH - Healthy lifestyle to improve the health of the entire community

It focuses on health promotion and lifestyle coaching towards adults. The objective is to raise awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), their risk factors related to lifestyle, increase health literacy and empower people to take action to improve their health and communities to create environment supporting health.

This phase of the project completed the implementation of free health check, parallel to “Your Life & Health day” in selected communities using HAL-100™survey tool adapted and translated to partners languages. Now, the partnership is activating training courses in order to promote training on a healthy lifestyle in the participating regions.

For further information, please contact Giovanni Barbieri, giovanni.barbieri@cesie.org.

MEW - Promotion and support for emotional well-being

It aims at helping individuals across all sectors develop their skills, attitudes and mindset in order for them to become active citizens, feeling more positive, confident and in control when struggling with challenges at work and in their environment.

The main objective is to promote awareness, understanding and improvement of mental and emotional well-being on a personal level through an innovative educational methodology that facilitates the development of five training modules. Each topic has been chosen based on common social factors that affect our emotional well-being in real life dynamics. The first of the various activities planned, which is a bibliographical research on each of the topics selected, has recently been completed and has laid a solid foundation for the development of the following products. The next step, in fact, will consist in the production of video material that supports through a non-formal learning methodology the full understanding of the five topics integrating the training material.

For further information, please contact Manfredi Trapolino, manfredi.trapolino@cesie.org.

MH+ - Establishing requirements for positive mental health provision in VET

With the view to strengthen the approach that VET institutions usually take to address the specific educational needs of participants to their courses, 5 partner organisations from England, Spain, Bulgaria, Iceland and Italy have recently launched Mental Health+ project.

The partners have already carried out both desk and field researches to reflect the state of the art of national/regional/institutional developments and challenges regarding mental health inclusion, and to provide concrete information on best practices in the field of diversity integration. Currently engaged in the elaboration of the results of this research, the partners are focusing now on the development of useful guidelines for the identification of possible critical issues within VET schools, as well as the identification of skills and responsibilities needed to develop a specific professional profile – the so-called MH+ Champion – in charge of driving forward inclusive policies and developments.

For further information, please contact Manfredi Trapolino, manfredi.trapolino@cesie.org.

Work4Psy – Vocational guidance for the occupational integration of NEET with mental disorders

It aims to support the occupational integration of young NEETs (not involved in education, employment or training) with mental issues. The Kick-off meeting was held in Athens on 18 and 19 November 2019.

The project foresees the direct involvement not only of young people with mental issues but also of mental health professionals, career counsellors and informal carers who will contribute to a specific analysis of their needs and afterwards to the development of specific tools to facilitate Career Counselling and a Work and Education Integration Curriculum. All resources and tools will be available for free on an Open Learning Platform. Partners are currently working on a Literature Review Report on career counselling services and work integration support measures for people with mental issues.

For further information, contact Alessia Valenti, alessia.valenti@cesie.org.