Art is a Scream of Freedom! – Depression Prevention Project for Youth Workers Held in Budapest

FACTOR Community Health and Sport Association hosted the Erasmus Plus project “Art is a Scream of Freedom!” in Budapest from April 29 to May 5, 2025. This project focused on helping youth workers and young people explore ways to cope with depression and support mental health through hobby-based and artistic activities.

Youth worker mobility is essential for sharing experiences and expertise, strengthening the success of high-quality projects, and fostering international collaborations. “Art is a Scream of Freedom!” specifically aimed to raise awareness about reducing depression through engagement in hobbies and artistic activities.

Understanding the impact of depression on both individuals and society and creating awareness about it was at the core of our project. Throughout the project, youth workers participated in activities that supported their personal and professional development.

The project included a variety of interactive activities:

Erasmus Plus and Youthpass Information: Participants learned about the history and significance of the program and the contributions of Youthpass certificates.

What is Depression?: Depression was explored from historical and academic perspectives.

Factors Increasing Depression: Group activities using the station technique identified causes of depression.

Sociodrama Work: Participants acted out life stories and emotions related to depression to build empathy and awareness.

Happiness Through Hobbies: Role-playing games helped participants understand how hobbies can enhance life satisfaction.

Workshops: Participants tested their skills in various hobby-related activities to discover what suited them best.

Solution Strategies: Brainstorming sessions encouraged participants to develop individual, institutional, and societal strategies to prevent depression.

The project brought together 40 youth workers and participants with fewer opportunities from Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, and Turkey. Each country sent 8 participants (4 women and 4 men) to ensure gender balance. The age range was 20–35, allowing for productive and efficient engagement. Additionally, 10 participants with fewer opportunities were included to promote equality and facilitate social integration.

FACTOR Community Health and Sport Association is proud to have hosted “Art is a Scream of Freedom!”, a project aimed at supporting the mental health of youth workers and young people. The activities in Budapest contributed to both individual and societal efforts to address depression. We continue to work on disseminating the project’s outcomes and promoting sustainable mental health initiatives at local and international levels.