By implementing Beyond the Smile, we aim to deliver a complete and coherent youth work process that begins before the mobility, deepens during the exchange through non-formal learning, and continues afterwards through follow-up actions and learning transfer. From the perspective of youth work practice, the project is not therapeutic and does not include clinical interventions. Instead, it responds to a clear and widespread youth need: many young people experience pressure to appear strong, positive and productive, while emotional vulnerability is often judged, misunderstood or silenced. This pressure can lead to emotional suppression, social isolation, harmful self-talk and difficulties in communication. At the same time, mental health stigma remains present in everyday language and peer culture through stereotypes and dismissive phrases (“just be positive”, “others have it worse”, “don’t be so sensitive”), shaping how young people express emotions and whether they feel safe asking for support. We therefore want to achieve change on three interconnected levels. At the personal level, we want participants to build emotional literacy: recognising emotions, identifying patterns and triggers, and understanding the needs behind feelings. Youth work practice shows that emotional awareness and vocabulary are foundational competences: if young people cannot name what they feel, they struggle to communicate needs, set boundaries or seek support. At the social level, we want to improve peer communication and reduce stigma. Participants will practise active listening, empathy and supportive language, and learn how stigma operates in communication and relationships. At the participation level, we want young people to experience ownership and responsibility through a youth-led learning model, strengthening their confidence, initiative and teamwork. The overall objective is to empower young people to recognise, express and communicate their emotions in healthy and respectful ways, while developing a clear understanding of mental health stigma and its impact on emotional expression, communication and everyday interactions. This is implemented through a set of continuous, practice-oriented objectives. First, we strengthen emotional awareness and self-recognition through guided reflection, storytelling and structured self-awareness tools. Second, we develop healthy emotional expression skills using creative and embodied methods (theatre, art-based expression, narrative practices) that allow externalisation of emotions beyond words, which is particularly supportive for participants who find verbal expression difficult. Third, we strengthen interpersonal competences central to youth work practice—active listening, respectful feedback, boundary-setting and peer support—so participants can support each other without taking on therapeutic roles. A core objective is to increase understanding of mental health stigma as a social mechanism. Participants explore how stigma is created and reinforced through stereotypes, labels, social expectations and minimising language. They examine how stigma influences behaviour (hiding emotions, avoiding help-seeking, isolating) and practise concrete responses through experiential activities, role-plays and fishbowl dialogue. Through methods like “Break the Sentence”, participants learn to reframe stigmatizing phrases into supportive alternatives and to intervene respectfully in peer settings. We also aim to connect wellbeing with the body and accessible preventive practices. Nature-based learning and movement-based activities highlight the link between emotional regulation and daily habits, including digital habits. The digital detox day and outdoor elements show participants how offline presence, physical activity and connection to nature can reduce stress and strengthen social bonding, offering practical strategies that remain usable after the project. Because the theme can be sensitive, we prioritise a safe and inclusive learning environment. Clear boundaries are communicated: no diagnosis, no forced disclosure, opt-out options in all activities, confidentiality rules, daily wellbeing check-ins, and support from team leaders and facilitators. Inclusion is supported through varied methods (verbal, creative, small groups, silent reflection) and pre-identified participant needs. Finally, we aim for learning visibility and sustainability. Reflection and documentation are embedded daily (experience–reflection–documentation–transfer), supporting Youthpass competence recognition with concrete examples. After the exchange, participants apply learning through local follow-up sessions, peer sharing, and a “Message to my Future Self” scheduled email that reactivates commitments months later. In this way, Beyond the Smile functions as a continuous youth work intervention with lasting effects on participants, youth work practice, and local peer cultures.