Promoting mental well-being through online exchange in secondary schools

<< Background >>The wExchange project was launched in response to the increasing mental health challenges faced by young people, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing societal uncertainties. The project aimed to develop peer-to-peer methods and virtual exchange models to enhance mental health literacy among youth aged 13–16. While schools play a crucial role in teaching emotional, social, and coping skills, there are few youth-oriented, peer-reviewed approaches available. Moreover, young people have seldom been involved in designing mental health interventions, despite their valuable insights into their own experiences. The project also addressed the lack of guidance for virtual student exchanges, with a focus on promoting digital inclusion and environmental sustainability. By co-creating materials and activities with students, the project fostered equal participation, reduced stigma, and encouraged help-seeking behavior, directly addressing the need for accessible, youth-driven mental health support.<< Objectives >>The wExchange project aimed to strengthen the mental well-being of young people by developing peer-to-peer methods and virtual exchange models. The primary goal was to promote mental health literacy among youth aged 13–16 by involving them directly in creating relevant materials and activities. The project also sought to address the lack of peer-reviewed methods and limited youth involvement in mental health promotion. By piloting virtual exchanges, the project fostered digital skills, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Specific objectives included enhancing emotional and social skills, reducing stigma, and encouraging help-seeking behavior. Additionally, the project aimed to provide schools with practical tools and guidance to support mental health literacy and to ensure equal opportunities for participation, regardless of students’ backgrounds or financial situations.<< Implementation >>The wExchange project carried out a wide range of activities to promote youth mental well-being and mental health literacy. Peer-to-peer methods were co-created with students and tested in school settings to support emotional and social skills. Virtual exchange models were piloted to enable international collaboration from students’ home countries, ensuring equal participation and supporting environmental sustainability. Training packages were developed for both students and teachers to strengthen mental health literacy. The project produced two practical guides: one focused on peer-based methods and another on virtual exchanges. Research data on the development of mental health literacy was collected throughout the project. Dissemination activities included seminars, articles, blog posts, and social media content to share results widely. All activities were designed to reflect the everyday lives of young people and to ensure their active involvement in promoting mental well-being.<< Results >>The wExchange project produced several concrete outputs aimed at enhancing mental health literacy and fostering international collaboration in education. Two practical guides were developed: one focused on peer-to-peer methods for promoting mental health literacy, and the other on virtual student exchanges, providing accessible models for cross-border learning.To support both students and teachers, the project designed and tested training packages that emphasized emotional skills, coping strategies, and help-seeking behavior. These resources were grounded in research data collected on the development of youth mental health literacy, ensuring their relevance and impact.A key innovation of the project was the piloting of virtual exchange models, which enabled international collaboration without the need for travel—promoting both equity and sustainability. All materials were made available in five languages and disseminated through the project website and Beneficiary Module, significantly extending the project’s reach and influence across Europe.