37 people from Malta, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain and Romania have come together in Șimon, Bran, Romania, for Ring the Resilience, an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange focused on mental health, emotional resilience, and the power of supporting one another.
Taking place between 13 and 22 October 2026, the mobility brings together 35 young participants and group leaders, alongside two facilitators. The project is coordinated by Ring the Changes Association and creates a space where young people from different backgrounds can connect, share experiences, learn from one another, and explore how to better care for their mental health and the well-being of those around them.
Why Ring the Resilience?
Young people across Europe face various challenges related to their mental health, from stress and anxiety to social pressure, uncertainty, and limited access to appropriate support. For those living in rural communities, these challenges can be amplified by fewer available services, geographical barriers, and the stigma that still surrounds conversations about mental health.
Through Ring the Resilience, we want to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where young people can explore these challenges together, strengthen their emotional resilience, and develop practical skills that they can use in their everyday lives and communities.
What will we do?
We will explore mental health literacy, emotional awareness, self-care, stress management, empathetic communication, and responsible peer support. We will also discuss how to recognise when someone might need help, how to offer support without taking on the role of a mental health professional, and how to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health.
One of the project’s creative methods will be the Labyrinth Theatre, an immersive approach that encourages participants to explore emotions, personal experiences, and social challenges through experiential learning.
Participants will also contribute to the development of an Emotional First Aid Guide, bringing together accessible ideas, tools, and practices that young people can use to support themselves and others.
Beyond the activities themselves, the exchange is an opportunity to build meaningful connections across borders, discover different perspectives, and develop ideas for bringing what participants learn back to their local communities.
An international partnership
Ring the Resilience is coordinated by Ring the Changes Association (Romania), in cooperation with four international partner organisations:
- Terra Di Mezzo (TDM) 2000 Malta
- Centar za Promene (Serbia)
- Obcianske zdruzenie Vidiecky parlament mladých
- na Slovensku (Slovakia)
- Asociación Arousa Moza (Spain)
Together, the five organisations aim to promote young people’s well-being, strengthen international cooperation, and encourage young people to become active supporters of mental health awareness in their communities.
Over the coming days, our 37-person international group will learn, reflect, experiment, and build connections, with the shared goal of making mental health conversations more accessible and creating communities where young people feel heard, understood, and supported.
Ring the Resilience is just getting started!
Funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
