Ecologies of care
Context
Self-care is often portrayed as a neutral activity, a matter of routine wellness or personal productivity. But for those living under systemic oppression, self-care is a deeply political act. As Audre Lorde, a black lesbian poet and activist, wrote, self-care is not a luxury, but “an act of survival”. In contexts marked by systemic oppression (racism, sexism, transphobia).
Who gets to rest? Who has access to care? Who remains invisible in traditional narratives of well-being?
Care is undervalued work and, at the same time, a form of relationship that involves humans, non-humans and technologies.
Objectives
The aim of the project is to reorient care in a socio-ecological sense and redefine it as a practice of resistance. “Ecologies of Care” seeks to challenge dominant models, lack of time, lack of resources, psycho-physical wear and tear, and fatigue.
Which ecological and social relationships are worth regenerating and which need to be eliminated in order to transform living conditions into common goods? What kinds of care generate other worlds?
Activities
With ‘Ecologies of Care,’ research will be conducted on how young people experience and interpret their relationships and self-care, with activities aimed at recognising the relationships they experience. Training on recognising emotions, listening to wounds and respecting one’s own limits, a toolkit on the theme of community as a network of relationships, videos and fact sheets on recognising our impact on the environment in order to limit it.
Resources
1. How to Improve Self-Care and Mental Well-being
This toolkit was developed within the framework of the Ecologies of Care project and brings together reflections, practices, and tools dedicated to self-care, mental well-being, and the creation of more sustainable relationships.
Through participatory activities, listening exercises, reflective writing, emotional awareness practices, and collective experiences, the toolkit encourages young people and youth workers to rethink care as a personal, social, and ecological act.
A valuable resource for strengthening resilience, fostering a sense of community, and cultivating new ways of relating to oneself, others, and the environment.
2. Caring for Our Relational Ecosystem
A resource handbook for youth workers dedicated to relationships, mutual care, and emotional well-being. Through participatory activities, artistic practices, and reflective tools, this booklet guides young people and youth workers in exploring themes such as consent, communication, attachment, online relationships, emotional safety, and community building.
An invitation to develop more conscious, inclusive, and sustainable relationships, while recognizing care as a fundamental element of both individual and collective life.
N° progetto: KA220-YOU-E5278863
Durata: : 01.12.2024 – 31.05.2027
Coordinatore: MOH ETS
Partner
MOH è un’ente del terzo settore con sede a Bari, che ha lo scopo di promuovere la mobilità giovanile tra giovani, di creare sinergie con associazioni locali ed europee e di tracciare un legame tra lavoro sociale e artistico.
CF 93500740720 | P.IVA 08467560721 | OID E10009452