EmpowerUrself4Wellbeing
“Balance Within” A Guided Journal for Well-Being
After months of collaborative brainstorming, co-creation, and reflection, our team at EmpowerUrself2Advocate4Wellbeing is proud to share “Balance Within” a self-care journal designed to support mental well-being through creative expression, guided reflection, and practical exercises.
This journal is intended for young people, youth workers, and anyone seeking to build a stronger, more compassionate relationship with themselves. It offers a gentle space to slow down, check in with your emotions, and develop habits that promote emotional balance and inner clarity.
Inside the journal, you’ll find grounding and breathing techniques to help reconnect with the present moment, along with reflection prompts that invite you to explore your emotions, energy levels, and inner strengths. It includes exercises to help you understand your boundaries, express your needs, and define what self-care means to you personally. You’ll also find space for creative drawing and weekly check-ins to reflect on your progress.
“Balance Within” isn’t about doing everything perfectly it’s about giving yourself permission to pause, reflect, and care for yourself with kindness and intention.
“YouMatter” mental health festival
On June 15, we hosted the “YouMatter” Mental Health Festival in Yerevan, a vibrant and meaningful day dedicated to self-care, emotional well-being, and mutual learning. The festival brought together more than 50 young people, educators, and mental health advocates to share, connect, and explore ways to take care of ourselves and support others. The event began with the presentation of the work carried out within the EmpowerUrself2Advocate4Wellbeing project. We also introduced our newly developed Self-Care Journal, a practical and creative tool designed to support daily emotional resilience and reflection.
The heart of the day was the interactive workshop phase, where participants engaged in hands-on sessions on key topics such as art and emotional expression through drawing, the influence of social media on mental well-being, building and maintaining healthy relationships, and navigating personal and professional growth.
Participants also had the chance to play mental health and self-care games, sparking important conversations in an accessible and playful way.
The “YouMatter” festival reminded us that mental health is a journey we don’t have to take alone and that every story, experience, and tool shared can make a difference.
“Hack to Heal” Hackathon
“Hack to Heal” Hackathon brought together young innovators to co-create digital solutions that promote mental health and well-being among youth.
Throughout the event, participants formed teams to explore pressing challenges related to youth mental health and develop IT-based solutions.Over the course of two intense and inspiring days, the teams combined creativity, empathy, and technology to turn their ideas into actionable concepts.
The event concluded with presentations to a jury panel, which included an experienced IT specialist Harutyun Badeyan, a psychologist and lecturer from Yerevan State University Anna Hakobjanyan, and a local decision-maker from the Aparan Municipality Armen Sargsyan. Projects were evaluated based on innovation, relevance, feasibility, and potential impact.
The winning team “Your Nour care” will receive financial support from UniGrowth Development Center to help realize their idea. This hackathon was more than just a competition, it was a space for learning, collaboration, and meaningful contribution to an issue that affects young people everywhere. It highlighted how cross-sector dialogue between youth, tech experts, psychologists, and local authorities can spark real, youth-driven innovation in the field of mental well-being.
Core teams meeting in Slovakia
On November 28 - December 4, the second international meeting of our long term YPA “EmpowerUrself2advocate4wellbeing” took place this time in Slovakia. Throughout the week, team members shared the progress and results of their local activities conducted in each country within the program. They also engaged in joint planning, creating a shared timeline for upcoming actions and setting clear goals for the next phase of the project.
In addition to the coordination and planning sessions, participants took part in a series of workshops aimed at deepening their understanding of mental health, self-care, and effective youth advocacy. These sessions not only strengthened their knowledge but also offered tools and approaches they could bring back to their local contexts.
A key highlight of the week was the opportunity to connect with key decision-makers and professionals in the field. The group held insightful meetings with organizations and institutions such as the Zebra Community Center, the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, Združenie Storm, and the NGO Kultura Ktorá Neexistuje. These meetings offered valuable perspectives on national-level mental health strategies, youth work practices, and grassroots initiatives.
National workshop
From January 25-31, we gathered 25 young people from all over Armenia for a powerful learning experience as part of our YPA "EmpowerUrself2advocate4wellbeing" project!
For five days, we explored mental health through discussions, activities, and games. We talked about myths and misconceptions, learned about the history of stigma, and discovered how to take care of our mental well-being. We practiced coping strategies, explored different self-care pillars, and gained new skills to prioritize mental health in our daily lives.
Some topics were deep, new, and sometimes even challenging. But with fun and interactive methods, no one felt overwhelmed!
Instead, we ended each day feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to bring change to our communities.
Kick off of the project! Core teams meeting in Armenia
From May 13-20, the first offline meeting of our long-term YPA program, “EmpowerUrself4Wellbeing”, took place in Tsaghkadzor. It was an eventful week, where young participants from Armenia and Slovakia, who will collaborate as a team for the next 1.5 years, had the chance to get to know each other better and bond the team. Further, they gained deeper insights into mental health and self-care. Another crucial part of this meeting was engagement in discussions with decision-makers about the relevance and challenges of mental health, and the role of youth in promoting wellbeing. More specifically we visited WHO office in Armenia and Psychosocial recovery center.
Teams planned their upcoming activities within the program and created a schedule of actions.