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Description
The aim of Improkool is to reduce the aggravation of mental health problems by creating preventive community activities to support mental health. Through a novel collaboration between improv comedy practitioners and mental health professionals, we are adapting an approach common elsewhere in the world: an improv theater format that supports mental health. We want to support the mental health of the inhabitants of Southern Estonia by empowering local communities and increasing active citizenship in order to make knowledge and activities supporting mental health (practicing mental health-promoting improv-comedy) available to vulnerable target groups in communities. We can do this by expanding the activities of NGO Improkool (improv comedy) through partnership cooperation with NGO Peaasjad (Head Matters, mental health). Expanding the activities of NGO Improkool by building a bridge from the field of performing arts to the field of mental health helps to show the ability and sustainability of the NGOs to adapt to current needs and create added value in society. The project targets all South Estonian residents who can participate in the project through various activities: visiting mental health improv comedy performances, participating in mental health open improv classes in their communities or taking a community leader role as a facilitator of mental health support improv groups. The good practice can be further expanded in Southern Estonia with the help of other partners as well as in communities across Estonia and to measure the impact of the intervention.