The Professor of Psychology at the University of Jaén (UJA) and main responsible for this project for the promotion of emotional well-being in young people participated as a speaker at the seminar organized by the Directorate General of Youth of the Community of Madrid, in collaboration with ERYICA.
27/02/2023.- Luis Joaquín García, Professor of Psychology at the University of Jaén (UJA), presented the initiative for the prevention of adolescents at risk or high risk of developing emotional disorders, PROCARE, in the framework of the webinar ‘Youth Information and Mental Health, working for the health of young people’. A training event aimed at workers of Youth Information Services, co-organized by the Directorate General of Youth of the Community of Madrid and the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA).
In this way, Luis Joaquín García presented the results of the PROCARE initiative, which has helped more than 1,500 schoolchildren throughout Spain through the reduction of emotional problems, the improvement of subjective quality of life and greater regulation of emotions among the young participants, and among their families. “PROCARE is the first transdiagnostic prevention initiative at the international level that has demonstrated its effectiveness in the intervention of adolescents at risk of developing emotional problems such as anxiety or depression under the framework of selective prevention (PROCARE+), and at high risk under the framework of indicated prevention (PROCARE-I),” explained Luis Joaquín García.
PROCARE ((PID 2019-111138RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) is a project funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, with the participation of UJA, Rovira i Virgili University, Miguel Hernández University and the University of Miami (USA). In addition, it has the collaboration of an External Advisory Council formed by the Spanish Youth Institute (INJUVE) attached to the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, the Spanish Youth Council (CJE), the Youth Group of the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals and Transsexuals (Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersexuals and more (FELGTBIq+), the Confederation of Organizations of Psychopedagogy and Guidance of Spain (COPOE) and the Spanish Association of Mutual Help against Social Phobia and Anxiety Disorders (Asociación Española de Ayuda Mutua contra Fobia Social y Trastornos de Ansiedad).
At the opening of the webinar, Nikolay Yordanov, Director General of Youth of the Community of Madrid, highlighted the significant increase in emotional problems in adolescents as a result of the pandemic and the need to improve the mental health literacy of professionals in the youth sector. Eva Reina, President of ERYICA, then emphasized the importance of working for the emotional well-being of young people and outlined ERYICA’s work in this regard through projects such as YIMINDS.
The second part of the webinar revolved around the sharing of good practices led by Youth Information Centers and told by their protagonists. Thus, Nadia Berodia and Silvia Escribano, from CPRS San Fernando de Hernares spoke about the project ‘ANIMARTE’; Vanessa Gómez, from CPRS Martínez Campos de Chamberí presented the online focus group “Que no te coman el coco”; Fran Polo, Youth technician of the Mancomunitat Camp de Túria developed his experience in the informative talks in the IES of that region; Silvia Solà of the City Council of Castellterçol and Mariona Altimira, coordinator of the Foundation La Xarranca, explained the influence of Kastell SIOAJ.
Finally, the webinar ended with the interview of Popy Ares, coordinator of Dinamización y Participación Ciudadan de Centro “Marcelino Camacho” of San Fernando de Henares, to Asier García, user of that center who suffered bullying in high school, has problems of phobias and anxiety and currently benefits from psychological support.
