One in seven adolescents experience trouble in their mental health at a global level. Youth well-being is influenced by factors such as increased academic demands and expectations, socio-economic background and overall precarity facing young people’s insecure work life and financial stability, global conflicts and crisis situations, climate change and exposure to online content and interactions.

 In that context, the Youth Partnership’s seminar on 18 – 19 March at the European Youth Centre Strasbourg will explore the youth mental health needs, available services and support needed from youth workers and policymakers.

 Opening the seminar, Tobias Flessenkemper, Head of the Youth Department of the Council of Europe, underlined the importance of mental well-being during early life, stating: “Youth is an exciting period of life, full of discoveries and transitions in a Europe undergoing many changes. Youth is the key period for developing habits important for mental well-being.” He emphasised the crucial role of youth activities in fostering resilience: “Youth work can help young people adopt healthy patterns, become part of social, cultural, and civic engagements, develop coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, and learn to manage emotions.”

Flessenkemper also pointed to the broader factors influencing youth mental health, urging policymakers to act: “Youth policymakers need to be aware of the multiple factors that affect mental health, from the lack of access to rights and the media to violence and conflict. The more risk factors young people are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental well-being.” He stressed that through their partnership, the European Commission and the Council of Europe are working to “highlight how member states and the youth sector can put young people’s well-being and mental health at the centre of their work and support them with practical tools.”

 Ambassador Vesna Kos, Head of the European Union Delegation to the Council of Europe, also addressed participants, stating: ““The European Union and the Council of Europe are fully committed to addressing this issue. We have made youth mental health a political priority, understanding that it is essential not only for the well-being of younger generations, but for the future stability and prosperity of Europe.”

 Sina Riz à Porta, Board Member of the European Youth Forum, brought attention to the structural nature of the issue, saying: “Despite the common cultural belief that mental health is purely an individual concern, the reality is that it’s a political issue that is directly shaped by social and economic conditions.”

 This seminar builds on previous research and initiatives by the Youth Partnership, papers on the effects of Covid-19 on young people’s mental health and wellbeing in 2021 and 2022 and the forthcoming T-kit on youth well-being and mental health. The seminar will continue over the next two days, with discussions, workshops, and expert panels aimed at making mental health and well-being a priority in youth policy and practice.

 Learn more about the Council of Europe’s work on youth mental health:

• PACE Resolution 2521 (2023) on mental health and well-being of children and young adults
• 2023 Seminar on the role of youth work in supporting mental well-being of young people affected by war
• 2024 Seminar “Coming of age during war: Youth work in Ukraine today. How can European youth policy adapt?”