Bez wstydu

How did you come to that?
We notice that in Poland many young people suffering from psoriasis or other skin diseases have big problems in assimilating with the environment. Chronic dermatological diseases cause the patient to be exposed to chronic stress related to the sense of stigmatization, lack of acceptance of one's own appearance and the chronic course of the disease, which significantly reduces the patient's quality of life and is associated with mood disorders. The "Shameless" project was born out of the need for education aimed at engaging young citizens in public life and raising awareness about skin diseases and their relationship with psychological problems. The project concerns the popularization of knowledge about the problems of people affected by skin diseases. Through the implementation of the project, we want to contribute to reducing the effects of exclusion of dermatologically ill patients.

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Who are our participants?
The participants of our project are young people aged 14-19 studying in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. These are young people in their adolescence who are characterized by an increased ability to create and act for the benefit of others. During puberty, the body undergoes many changes at the physiological level, which is why teenagers who themselves struggle with accepting their changing body may better empathize with the situation of a sick person. Participants of the project are people willing to actively work for the benefit of society. Participants are also teachers who want to strengthen their competences in the field of open forms of teaching, which emphasize the independence of the student and motivate him to actively participate in the life of the school. These teachers are people who are willing to initiate and support grassroots student initiatives. Both groups of participants are characterized by a desire to develop and improve the quality of life, both for themselves and for others.

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What will happen there?
During the project, workshops for students and teachers in the field of skin diseases and their relationship with psychological problems were carried out. Issues related to care and a healthy lifestyle were also discussed. We also encouraged project participants to take their own social initiatives in the field of discrimination, skin diseases and evaluation through the prism of appearance. During the workshops, we broke taboos related to skin diseases and raised awareness of the diseases and problems faced by people suffering from dermatological diseases. We also trained teachers in supporting, inspiring and managing grassroots initiatives organized by students.

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What have we achieved?
As part of the project, we managed to break the taboo related to skin diseases. We provided students and teachers with knowledge of skin diseases and the emotional aspects associated with them. We visited several schools where, together with students and teachers, we discussed ways to reduce the effects of social exclusion of people with dermatological diseases. We have developed methods helpful in self-acceptance and acceptance of another person. We also increased awareness of discrimination and stigmatization of people with diseases, thus contributing to the spread of empathy and tolerance towards people with dermatological diseases.

Who financed the project?
The project was financed by the National Institute of Freedom - Center for Civil Society Development from the funds of the Civic Initiatives Fund Program for 2021-2030.