- Published: 16.08.2023.
EESC opened applications for the Civil Society Award – this year dedicated to the mental health
Civil society organisations, individuals and private companies can now submit their non-profit projects for the EESC’s prize to support the mental well-being of Europeans.
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) initiated the 14th Prize for civil society. In order to reward creative and innovative non-profit projects intended to support to persons with mental illnesses creating an enabling environment for their mental well-being, either on an individual level or as part of a joint effort, the EESC has chosen mental health as this year’s theme.A maximum of five winners will be selected and will be rewarded in the total value of € 50,000.
The deadline for applying is 30 September 2023 at 10:00 (according to Brussels time).
The award ceremony is likely to take place during the EESC Civil Society Week in Spring 2024.
The goal of this EESC leading civil society (CS) award is to raise awareness of the exceptional contribution of CS in creating European identity and citizenship, as well as promoting common values that strengthen European integration. Each year, the Award is focused on a different topic that is particularly important for the EU at the given time.
Who can apply?
All CSOs registered in the EU active at local, regional, national or European level can apply. Also, the individuals residing in the EU as well as companies registered or operating in the EU, can apply, on the condition that their projects are exclusively non-profit.
Only those initiatives and projects implemented in the EU will be selected. Initiatives have to be either already implemented or ongoing. Planned projects whose implementation has not started untill 30 September 2023 will not be taken into consideration.
The list of conditions and on line application form are available at the EESC web page (14th EESC Civil Society Prize | European Economic and Social Committee (europa.eu)).
What project topics are acceptable?
In order to be eligible, the applications must adress to at least one question on the list of eligibility criteria in the Rules for the 14. EESC Civil Society Award, which are available on the relevant EESC website.
Projects may, among other things, deal with the prevention and fight against psychosocial risks in the workplace and promoting a culture of support in the work environment, informing people at risk of mental health problems, crisis interventions and providing individualized mental health services.
They can also address the mental health needs of disadvantaged groups and older populations or promote the mental well-being of children and adolescents by addressing issues such as substance use and abuse, cyber addiction, youth violence and peer violence.
Projects focused on community work in such as empowering local communities, creating networks for community involvement and establishing a supportive environment for mental health are also acceptable, as are the topics of improving mental health knowledge and combating stigma, which often turns people away from asking for help.
EESC hopes that by the Award will recognize as well as present so far efforts of non-governmental entities to help to people struggling with mental health issues. At the same time, they want to encourage ongoing projects and inspire the new ones, thus emphasizing the contribution that these projects can make to suppressing the explosion of the silent epidemic in the EU.
For applying, please, select this link to the Application Form.
More about the topic of this year’s prize:
During and after the COVID - 19 pandemic there has been an unrecorded increase in mental illness and disorders in Europe. Anxiety and depression were particularly widespread among the elderly and vulnerable groups, and above all among the young. The figures show that the rate of depressive symptoms among persons aged 18 to 29 years has more than doubled in several European countries.
Due to the high impact of mental health on the EU population, with approximately 4% of deaths per year considers mental health disorders and behavioral disorders, and because the direct and indirect costs of mental health problems account for almost 4% of GDP, mental health has become a priority of the EU’s political agenda.
EESC has also put mental health in the centre of its work, and called for the adoption of legislation to prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace. In addition, it advocates strengthening European and national measures to promote mental health.
By dedicating its award for 2023 to this very important topic, EESC wishes to acknowledge the key role of CS in treatment and prevention in the field of mental health. CS fills gaps in the public health system by taking care on unique needs of vulnerable groups. Through its close connection with local communities, it provides both formal and informal assistance on the ground and reaches the population that is often neglected.
Former editions of the Civil Society Prize:
In 2022 EESC awarded an extraordinary prize for two topics: youth and Ukraine. The 2021 reward recognizes climate projects that promote a just transition. In 2020, instead of the Civil Society Prize, the EESC awarded a one-time Civil Society Award dedicated to the fight against the COVID-19 disease pandemic. Some of the previous topics were gender equality and women’s empowerment, European identities and cultural heritage, and migration.