MEET project:
MEntal WEll-being in Education for disadvantaged YOUth
The MEET project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme and co-funded by the European Union.
The project focuses on improving the mental well-being of disadvantaged young people in the Danube Region. Its goal is to help schools, educators, youth workers, and other professionals better support young people’s mental health in both formal education (such as schools) and non-formal education (such as youth activities and training).
MEET develops inclusive and innovative tools, materials, and methods that can be used in education and youth work. In this way, the project helps prevent mental health problems among young people, supports their learning and personal development, and contributes to a better prepared future workforce. This can also help reduce labour shortages.
The project works on three important levels:
- Practice level – improving the daily work of educators and youth workers
- Organizational level – strengthening schools and organizations so they can better support mental well-being
- Policy level – helping decision-makers include mental health in education policies
MEET takes a broad approach. It creates practical tools and learning materials, supports cooperation through Youth Mental Health Labs, and develops strategies and action plans for integrating mental health into education systems. These activities aim to bring positive change for vulnerable young people in several countries and create more supportive and inclusive learning environments.
The main objectives of the project are:
-
Co-creation through Youth Mental Health Labs
The project aims to co-create its core activities through transnational Youth Mental Health Labs that bring together young people, educators, practitioners, and policymakers. These labs apply an open innovation approach to jointly design, test, and refine solutions, while fostering cross-sectoral cooperation and building sustainable mental health alliances at local and regional levels. -
Development of inclusive learning materials and tools
The project focuses on developing, piloting, and scaling inclusive, innovative, and youth-centered learning materials and tools for educators, practitioners, and vulnerable young people. These outputs—including toolboxes and tailored learning materials—are designed to improve mental health literacy, support well-being, and ensure accessibility for diverse groups such as NEETs, early school leavers, and disadvantaged youth. -
Policy development and strategic integration
The project aims to strengthen policy frameworks by co-developing a transnational Danube Strategy for Youth Mental Health in Education alongside Local Action Plans in participating regions. These policy outputs provide practical guidance to decision-makers and support the integration of mental health into education systems, ensuring long-term impact and sustainability.
More information about the project is available on the project website.Â
