Description
Description (EN): The MUCH MORE project, realized by partners from Finland, Latvia and Sweden addresses the problem of poor health and social inclusion of middle-aged men with past addiction problem. While in general the health of men is worse than women, the middle-aged men after heavy alcohol use experience several vulnerabilities with their social and working life ties broken. The public services are insufficient in providing a complex life guidance for this difficult to reach target group. There is lack of low-threshold, attractive and empowering activities for men, which would focus on manual work or trips to nature and at the same time providing health and life advice. This influences not only the individuals in question but also their families, friends and wider society.
To improve matters, the MUCH MORE project proposes developing and piloting an intervention model, which combines do-it-yourself and nature-based activities with social and working life counselling in peer-groups. The model will be developed with active participation of men by the partner organizations with an experience in reaching out to the target group. At the same time, training concept will be prepared to spread the project experience among health and social professionals. In a result, men should be better prepared to reunite with society and families.
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the better social inclusion and health of the middle-aged men with the past addiction problem. It will be done by developing the activities for the social inclusion and health promotion for middle-aged men with the past addiction problem, who want to stay away from alcohol, including the piloting workshops, meetings and interventions.
The cross-border cooperation allows partners to learn from each other, share experiences and support each other with their specific expertise. The project results will be widely distributed in CB region and beyond via existing and emerging networks.
Read more Achievements (EN): Much more contributed to social inclusion of the middle-aged men with addiction problems in their past:
The Much more project contributed to better social inclusion of the middle-aged men who have had addiction problems in their past. The project objective was to provide social support for men and thus empower them to reunite with their families and the society. Over 120 men were reached through peer-group activities in Sweden, Latvia and Finland.
The project partners from Gävle, Riga and Turku developed and tested an intervention model on how to involve target group men in planning and taking part in peer group activities. Based on the peer-group participants’ interest, the men tried different things from art therapy, cooking, hiking, and peer-group discussions in non-judgemental atmosphere. The methods used in different cities varied, but they all focused on participatory and easily accessible peer-group activities. Over half of the men kept coming back to the meetings and found them beneficial to them, so the project goals were reached.
Furthermore, the project also contributed to the capacity of health and social care professionals working with the target group that is difficult to reach. The partners organised several trainings for professionals who wish to try new methods to work with their clients. In total, over 50 professionals were reached in the project trainings.
The project compiled their most relevant learnings from trainings as a toolbox to be further utilised by other professionals. In addition, pros and cons of different participatory methods tested in the peer-groups were presented in the SWOT analysis.
Project website: projectmuchmore.weebly.com
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Website: http://centralbaltic.eu/
Expected Results (EN): R4.1. Communities with improvements
Expected Outputs (EN): The project results will be:
- middle-aged men with the past addiction problem engaged into the social and working life counselling and health promoting activities (at least 40 men in 3 cities engaged),
- developed and tested an intervention model engaging men into the activities and empowering them to reunite with the society,
- the professionals motivated to work with the difficult to reach target group through the training programme and new activities provided (at least 10 professionals in 3 cities),
- new activities organized and piloted in the 3 cities. They include nature- and do it yourself-based activities in the peer groups, with the site social and working life counselling and health promotion information. The activities will continue for a year.
- cooperation between organizations, NGOs and services established and/or strengthened.
The project tackles a challenge of a low social and working life activation of middle-aged men with the past addiction problem, who are also resistant to the health promoting information. The unhealthy lifestyle and multiple vulnerabilities bring the target group at risk of social exclusion. This, with the activities focused on reactivation and reunification of the men with social and working life, the project directly contributes to the programme result indicator.
The community of middle-aged men with the past addiction problem often solely includes men with low education and low income. It is definitely a group that needs improvements. The lives of middle-aged men with past addiction problem are not separated from the lives of their families and society, who worries about their health and lifestyle. Thus, the project does not only bring the change to the individual men but also to the wider group of their families, friends and colleagues. The project will develop and pilot the activities, which can be used by the city administration’s social services as well as NGOs to reach out to a bigger amount of men.
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Thematic information
Specific Objective:
More people benefiting from stronger Central Baltic communities
Thematic Objective:
(10) investing in education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning by developing education and training infrastructure
Investment Priority:
(10 ETC) ETC specific, for cross-border cooperation: investing in education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning by developing and implementing joint education, vocational training and training schemes
Partners (5)
Lead Partner:
Turun kaupunki
Department:
na
Address:
Yliopistonkatu 27a, 20100 Turku, Finland
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.turku.fi
Total budget:
EUR 28 075.48
ERDF budget:
EUR 21 056.61
-
Sininen nauha ry
-
Name:
Sininen nauha ry
Department:
N/A
Address:
Vallihaudankatu 4, 20100 Turku, Finland
Legal status:
public
Website (not verified):
https://vssininauha.wordpress.com/
Total budget:
EUR 68 559.50
ERDF budget:
EUR 51 419.62
-
Stickan, En krismottagning för män
-
Name:
Stickan, En krismottagning för män
Department:
N/A
Address:
Södra Centralgatan 10, 10 802 50 Gälve, Sweden
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.stickan.se
Total budget:
EUR 70 558.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 52 918.50
-
Rīgas dome
-
Name:
Rīgas dome
Department:
Welfare Department
Address:
Baznīcas street 19/23, LV-1002 Riga, Latvia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.ld.riga.lv
Total budget:
EUR 45 198.42
ERDF budget:
EUR 38 418.65
-
Itämeren alueen Terveet Kaupungit ry
-
Name:
Itämeren alueen Terveet Kaupungit ry
Department:
N/A
Address:
Vanha Suurtori 7, 20500 Turku, Finland
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.marebalticum.org
Total budget:
EUR 58 894.52
ERDF budget:
EUR 44 170.89
