The project aimed to strengthen early and inclusive mental well-being support for young people, particularly in situations of public health crises and natural disasters. The main objective was to increase the capacity of professionals in youth, education and community settings to recognise early signs of distress, communicate in a safe and non-stigmatising way, and guide young people towards appropriate support services. Another objective was to establish a shared, evidence-informed understanding of system gaps and needs across partner countries through a common ecosystem mapping framework, ensuring that training and guidance were grounded in real challenges identified by practitioners and stakeholders. The project also aimed to develop practical and transferable outputs, including a structured training curriculum and institutional guidance for VET providers and higher education institutions, and to ensure long-term accessibility by making these resources available through a digital platform. The project sought to strengthen resilience, promote inclusion and improve cross-sector cooperation, with particular attention to disadvantaged young people, including migrants, refugees and those with fewer opportunities.
The YouHEALTH project was developed in response to increasing mental well-being challenges among young people, particularly during and after public health crises and natural disasters. Partners observed that many young people, especially those with fewer opportunities such as migrants, refugees and disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, faced barriers to timely and appropriate support. Stigma, lack of clear information, fragmented referral systems and limited preparedness in everyday youth settings made early intervention difficult. At the same time, professionals in schools, youth organisations and community services reported a lack of structured, practical and evidence-based tools to recognise early warning signs, communicate safely and guide young people towards suitable support. A shared framework across partner countries was also missing. The project addressed these needs by developing a common ecosystem mapping framework, producing training and guidance materials for frontline professionals, and ensuring access through a digital platform. The aim was to strengthen early support, improve institutional preparedness and promote inclusive, coordinated approaches to youth mental well-being.