The aim of the current project was to improve the positive mental health (PMH) and well-being of young people. This was to be achieved through the development of an online app designed to support young people in developing their social and emotional competencies, which are crucial for psychological resilience and optimal functioning in society. Additionally, the project aimed to assist youth workers in transitioning to digital assisted youth work by developing specific digital PMH promotion competencies for youth work. The target group for the project was young people aged 16-25. More concretely, the project had the following objectives: - To develop and pilot test an online application that would support young people in developing their wellbeing competencies. - To involve 100 young people from 5 countries in piloting the beta version of the application, including half with young people with fewer opportunities. - To develop a residential and training curriculum for youth workers and pilot test this with 20 youth workers. - To develop a self-paced MOOC about technology assisted youth work for PMH promotion.
Adolescence and young adulthood (ages 16-25) are crucial periods for laying the foundations for healthy development and well-being. Compelling evidence showed that promoting mental well-being and implementing prevention interventions effectively could reduce risk factors for mental disorders, enhance protective factors for good mental and physical health, and lead to lasting positive effects on a range of educational, social, and economic outcomes for young people (16-25) . After the Covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of mental health disorders among young people unfortunately skyrocketed. This increase was partly due to the inaccessibility of support structures, such as youth work. This project enabled youth work even during future lockdowns through training and preparation for the digitalisation of youth work oriented around positive mental health promotion. The number of young people needing support for their mental well-being was incredibly high. For example, in the Netherlands, the 'jeugd GGZ' was unable to help all the young people in need due to high demand. In sum, now more than ever, young people needed support for their well-being, and this project aimed to reach a high number of young people, exceeding the reach of usu