YouthREST · Mapping the Restorative Potential of Cultural Landscapes to Youth Mental Health: A Cross-Regional Study in Germany and Ethiopia
Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2026-10-01 → 2028-09-30
- EU contribution
- €202,125
- Participants
- 3
- Scheme
- HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Project objective
This project aims to understand, through the lens of cultural natural landscapes, how young people emotionally and mentally relate to natural environments in the context of Germany and Ethiopia. At a time when global mental health challenges are rising, especially among youth, this research addresses a crucial gap in how these natural landscapes near big cities can serve as therapeutic environments. Drawing from landscape studies, environmental psychology, and planning theory, the project seeks to: Understand how cultural landscapes contribute to emotional resilience, perceived well-being, and place attachment among young people, using methods such as participatory mapping, psychometric well-being surveys, and photo-elicitation interviews; Nuance existing landscape-health research by introducing symbolic, cultural, and emotional meanings of space into policy-relevant frameworks; and Inform local and international strategies on nature-based mental health support and inclusive landscape governance. To achieve its aims, the proposal adopts a qualitative, multi-disciplinary approach, combining environmental psychology (well-being surveys, psychometric tools), sociology (qualitative questionnaires, narrative interviews), visual studies (photo-elicitation), and public policy (scenario-building workshops). By foregrounding youth voices and focusing on youth, this study aligns with EU objectives on mental health, social inclusion, and sustainable urban development, and contributes to Agenda 2030’s SDGs, Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, UNESCO MAB program.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- HOCHSCHULE FUR NACHHALTIGE ENTWICKLUNG EBERSWALDE · EBERSWALDECoordinatorGermany
- LANDESAMT FUR UMWELT BRANDENBURG · POTSDAMGermany
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT · Canterbury, KentUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union