The Moja mavrica Institute is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that focuses on community support for marginalised individuals through psychosocial and peer counseling, career orientation, street campaigns and field work, safety in public spaces, cultural activities, non-formal learning, healthy lifestyle, ecofeminism, suicide prevention and the organization of volunteer work. Most activities take place online and outdoors in Ljubljana, but we also collaborate with organizations from abroad and co-organize international exchanges, training, and study visits. The primary target groups are LGBTQIA+ people, neurodiverse people, and people facing mental health issues, as well as the intersections of these groups. We operate on the principles of social work and regularly collaborate with the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts).

The institute has been a learning base for students of social work, psychology and psychotherapy since 2021 and hosts trainees and interns from Slovenia and abroad. Since 2025, the Institute has official status as organisation with public interest status in the field of social welfare, issued by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.  The main aim and principle of work of the Institute is to provide community support within the “grey area” between institutionalised and non-formal support.

Through its activities, the Institute wants to encourage and ensure:

• a higher level of solidarity to communities with fewer resources
•  co-creation of communities
• -intragenerational and intergenerational integration and support

• filling the grey areas between institutional and informal forms of support and assistance and provide support in the form of relevant information, connectivity, developing a sense of belonging, obtaining corrective experience
• strengthen and expand the resources of people with various marginalised circumstances
• work towards greater tolerance, freedom, democracy, mutual understanding and respect for coexistence, justice and security in society
• raise awareness and accessibility of mental health care for marginalised people
• develop competencies and explore ways to talk about and respond to difficult topics. 

We develop and adapt our activities in collaboration with our target group. We are dedicated to improving mental health awareness and support for marginalized young people and the wider community. Our work includes street outreach to engage and support youth in public spaces, providing individual counselling, and conducting qualitative research on the mental health of marginalized groups. We transform these insights into articles, workshops, and informational content, aiming to educate students and the public about mental health, self-help, and peer-to-peer support. We produce videos and campaigns that address mental health challenges, promote healthy lifestyle choices, and combat misinformation and oversimplification on social media. By combining direct community engagement, research, education, and advocacy, we aim to increase understanding, reducing stigma, and empowering individuals to take an active role in their mental well-being. We believe in community-based approaches, intersectional empowerment, and making space for voices that are often left out. We are also committed to strengthening youth work as a profession rooted in justice, care and solidarity.

A summary of the local activities within the project that were organized by our participants and supported by us.