The purpose of the project “Positive Attitude Development” is to decrease stigmatisation of mental health disorders and social problems, to increase social inclusion and to promote the access to the labour market, social communication skills and integration to society of young people with mental health problems. Project activities consist of meetings with the defined target group of young people with mental health problems, employers and community members in defined areas in Finland and Estonia. Educational and training activities for the target groups and employers, and a large media campaign shall also be organized to achieve the project purposes.

 P.A.D. project shall be implemented between May 2015 and April 2017.

Central Baltic Interreg is partly financing the project.

Market meetings

During the project, market meetings shall be organized both in Finland and Estonia. The aim of the market meetings is to create face-to-face meetings with citizens, target group members and representatives of non-governmental-organizations. In Estonia also staff from public mental health organizations shall participate. Organizing these meetings is necessary since it has been proven that this kind of activities are stigma reducing and improve social inclusion of persons suffering from mental health and social problems. Meetings between employers, employees and young people with mental health problems shall also be organized to improve the attitude and understanding about the target group of the Project. The aim of these meetings is to improve the possibilities of employment and/or meaningful work-like activities of the target group. Public and regional authorities shall be invited to both kinds of meetings.

Educational activities

In Finland, education and training shall be organized for young people with mental health and social problems to improve their social interaction skills. These educational activities shall be planned and organized in co-operation with NGOs and Arcada University personnel. In Estonia, education is mainly directed to professionals in mental health and social service field, to improve their skills in working with young people with mental health and social problems. In addition, training and education for the young people themselves, shall be organized in Estonia.

Media campaign and communication

Within the Project a large media campaign shall be conducted, during which information about the marketing meetings shall be published in newspapers and on social media. Additionally, the aim is to publish this information through television and radio and a joint web-page shall be created, which shall be in function even after the termination of the project. Project partners assume that through this kind of campaign, the Project shall reach significant part of citizens in the defined areas and also areas outside the Project communities. Communication also includes information about the Project and its development. This shall be done by producing articles in professional papers, by student involvement doing bachelor or master thesis and scientific articles.