Teenagers’ mental health is a significant social challenge in the European Union. Reports indicates that around 20% of EU teenagers face mental health challenges that not only affect their personal lives but also have profound implications on their educational outcomes. The challenge we aim to face is complex and concerns the whole Baltic Sea Region going far beyond the borders of a single country. The school environment plays a crucial role in shaping student well-being, with various factors influencing their overall mental health. Schools are not only places for learning, here students spend most of their time: they learn, but also play, make friends, communicate, and regenerate. Our preliminary research conducted among students aged 15-19 revealed a striking gap in youth engagement in decisions related to school environments and a common thought: students feel unnoticed in decisions that directly impact their daily lives and mental well-being. Additionally, only 2 persons out of 184 we asked replied that school is a good place to recharge their mental energy.

The idea of the SchoolChanger project is to develop a model of cooperation between teachers, school management, and the students in which, with the involvement of design studios and professionals in the field of design, furniture, welfare technology, and medicine, they could redesign places at school to support their well-being. By involving students in the decision-making process, we aim to cultivate a culture of engagement from an early age, setting the stage for them to become proactive members of their communities.

The SchoolChanger model will give teenagers a voice and will develop useful skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and self-care. The ministries, municipalities and the management of schools will receive knowledge about the needs of the young population with a paramount focus on their well-being. That will allow them to develop guidelines on how to focus more on well-being in the public environment where teenagers spend their time. The professionals will have an opportunity to directly cooperate with students and young professionals thus they will be able to observe their future clients and identify new valuable employees.

SchoolChanger receives financial support from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region and is co-funded by the European Union.