World Mental Health Day takes place every year on 10 October. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health. The theme for 2026 is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”. Listening to people with lived experience of mental health-related challenges is crucial to advocating for their rights and dignity, as well as their access to quality support services. But talking about mental health can often feel difficult, and there is still a long way to go to destigmatise this subject.
The Council of Europe has developed a range of legal and awareness-raising human rights instruments in the field of mental health. These include the Committee of Ministers’ 2004 recommendation “concerning the protection of the human rights and dignity of persons with mental disorder”, the HELP course for legal professionals on Mental Health and Human Rights, and the Compendium report on good practices to promote voluntary measures in mental health services.
Young people are particularly vulnerable when it comes to mental health-related challenges. They are navigating a rapidly changing world, facing economic uncertainty, climate anxiety, armed conflict and social injustice. The World Health Organization highlights that globally around 15% of adolescents experience a mental disorder, bearing a disproportionate share in the global mental health crisis, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29.
Youth organisations play a crucial role in creating spaces where young people can talk openly about mental health, challenge stigma, develop tools to support each other and advocate for better services.
Check out below some projects supported by the EYF in 2026 are contributing to this work:
“Connecting cultures for mental health”, implemented by the International Young Catholic Students International Movement of Catholic Students (JECI-MIEC), brings together young people from Europe and Latin America for a summer camp exploring mental health, stigma, privilege and inclusion. Participants exchange perspectives across cultures and reflect on how mental health is perceived and addressed in different contexts.
“Ethos not pathos: enhancing young refugees' and asylum seekers' well-being, inclusion and resilience”, implemented by UNITED for Intercultural Action, strengthens the capacity of youth workers and other professionals to provide mental health and psychosocial support to refugees and asylum seekers, including psychological first aid. Participants will also develop resources and local actions to improve access to information and support services.
“PoEM – palette of emotions: supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing through art”, implemented by Youth for Exchange and Understanding (YEU), equips youth workers and volunteers with creative methods to support young people’s emotional well-being. Through training in visual arts, creative writing, drama and music, participants develop artistic interventions and contribute to a transnational campaign.
“Mind matters: student-led action for mental health in schools”, implemented by the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU), supports young people to advocate for mental health in schools and local communities. The project promotes exchange on policies and practices, develops recommendations for more inclusive mental health support in schools, and supports awareness-raising and cross-border cooperation.