This summer, from July 12th to 17th, we went on a transformative journey to the breathtaking Lori region of Armenia with 25 like-minded young individuals. Our time there was dedicated to nurturing self-care and cultivating resilience through practices that help us manage the daily stresses and growing anxieties about the future. Surrounded by the serene beauty of Lori forests, we focused on techniques to strengthen our inner well-being and face life’s challenges with renewed strength.
We went on a camp, called “Rainbow Resilience”. The camp has been organized by Armenian Progressive Youth and came into reality with huge support of Alternative Youth Center that has always provided safe space to Armenian queer youth and to Queerlab Armenia local youth initiative for realizing their small local events.
The camp aimed at creating a supportive, inclusive and safe(r) space for young LGBTIQ+ identifying young people living in Yerevan and 10 regions of Armenia to support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being while building connections and building community resilience.
The serene beauty of nature provided the perfect setting for us to unwind, relax, and reconnect with our inner selves. Our program featured a range of activities focused on mental and emotional well-being, including mindfulness practices, yoga, meditation, and relaxation exercises. We also explored various tools to support the mental health of LGBTIQ+ young people, emphasizing the crucial role we, as LGBTIQ+ activists, youth workers, and educators, can play in promoting mental health and well-being within our communities.
“Queer individuals living in patriarchal, traditional, and closed societies like Armenian society face numerous obstacles, including fear, insecurity, anxiety, and a high risk of abandonment and rejection. These challenges contribute to significant mental health burdens. A self-care camp offers a beautiful blend of elements: a supportive community of familiar and new faces, a serene environment away from the city, and the chance to connect with nature.”, says Anush, a social worker from Sexual Assault Crisis Center in Armenia.
“During the camp, I learned anti-stress exercises, and gained valuable insights during the “Healthy Relationships” seminar, which helped me re-evaluate the importance of mutual support. The art therapy session impressed me the most. It was about connecting with oneself, understanding self-perception, and embracing self-love. I’m excited to continue exploring it on my own and would love to experience it again”, says Siranush, one of the participants.
“Being part of the self-care camp was a truly valuable experience for me as a youth worker. It deepened my understanding of mental health and provided me with important tools for working mindfully with the queer community”, adds Ruben, a youth worker from APY.
“In Armenia, there are very few safe and welcoming spaces for queer people or allies, so this camp was a rare opportunity for me to connect, work, and relax with others from my community who are also actively involved in the youth sector or activism in general”, continues Ghazar, another active youth worker.
“Self-care is a topic that we often overlook or push to the background. Therefore, it’s essential to explore different self-care practices through camps like this one. I really enjoyed the body theater and yoga sessions. Overall, the camp was well-organized and very productive”, tells Emma an independent drag artist.
Many youth organizations hesitate to openly embrace or include queer youth, often avoiding projects or events centered around LGBTIQ+ inclusion. This mindset needs to change. It’s crucial for youth workers in Armenia to receive training and be prepared to support and work with queer youth, fostering an inclusive environment for all.
We plan to continue our local initiatives after the camp, with activities like yoga and meditation. It’s truly wonderful to have the Alternative Youth Center as a welcoming and supportive space for queer youth and their activities. Such openly inclusive youth spaces are rare, or even none, and Alternative Youth Center stands out as a frontrunner in fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance.
The camp was a key component of a larger project supported and funded by the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe.
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