How can school environments better support children’s creativity, mental well-being and different learning needs? And how can young people take an active role in shaping these spaces?

On 6–7 October 2026, SchoolChanger project partners gathered in Estonia for two days of study visits, practical testing and joint development. From exploring a sensory garden at Nissi Basic School to testing board games and visiting VIVITA in Tallinn, the meeting connected ideas for more inclusive learning environments with examples in practice.

Giving young people a voice in their school environment

SchoolChanger brings together students, teachers, school management and experts to develop school spaces that better respond to young people’s psychological and social needs. The project is developing a cooperation model that combines student participation with knowledge from design, education and health.

The starting point is simple: young people have valuable knowledge about the spaces they use every day. Involving them in planning and decision-making can help schools understand their needs and give pupils opportunities to practise creativity, cooperation and responsibility.

Day one: exploring the sensory garden at Nissi Basic School

The first day began with a visit to Nissi Basic School in Estonia’s Saue Municipality, where partners explored a sensory garden developed as part of the Interreg project Kids Like Us, which concluded in 2025. Transforming the site of the former school building into an inclusive public space, the garden encourages reflection, emotional awareness and self-support. Through tactile surfaces, diverse plantings, movement-friendly paths, swings and seating areas, it offers opportunities for both individual relaxation and social interaction, demonstrating how thoughtfully designed outdoor environments can support well-being and inclusion.

The visit offered an opportunity to explore how outdoor spaces can become part of a more supportive school environment. It also brought the project’s focus on sensory needs into a real setting: children experience their surroundings differently, and school spaces need to reflect these differences.

The garden provided a practical starting point for considering how nature and thoughtful design can contribute to learning environments that offer room for exploration, interaction and quieter moments.

Using board games to encourage creativity and empathy

The programme continued with the presentation and testing of two board games developed by Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) and Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS).

Designed as part of SchoolChanger, the games aim to spark children’s creativity and introduce them to design and empathy. They encourage young people to think about their surroundings, imagine changes and consider the needs of others.

These skills are closely connected. Designing a shared space means thinking beyond personal preferences and recognising that another person may experience the same environment differently.

During the hands-on sessions, partners tried the games, exchanged feedback and explored their potential use in school activities. The testing contributed to the further development of tools intended to help children participate in shaping their learning environments.

Day two: learning from VIVITA in Tallinn

On 7 October, partners continued the meeting at VIVITA in Tallinn, where children and young people are supported in exploring ideas and turning them into practical projects.

VIVITA’s approach gives young people space to experiment, solve problems and develop prototypes with support from mentors. It also involves children in the development and testing of creative learning spaces and methods.

The visit offered another perspective on a central SchoolChanger question: how can adults create the conditions for young people to take initiative and contribute their own ideas?

For SchoolChanger, this is relevant both to the design of physical spaces and to the way students and adults work together. Meaningful participation needs time, encouragement and practical ways for young people to express and develop their ideas.

Developing the SchoolChanger model

The second day also included a workshop on the SchoolChanger model. Drawing on the prototypes developed within the project, partners discussed the model’s content and structure and identified the next steps for its development.

The workshop connected the practical tools and examples explored during the meeting with the wider cooperation model. The aim is to help students, educators, school management and experts work together when rethinking school environments.

The two days brought together several parts of this work: a physical space already developed at a school, board games undergoing testing and a model that will guide cooperation. Together, these activities show how the project is moving from ideas towards practical approaches.

Creating supportive spaces together

The meeting reinforced a shared message: creating more inclusive learning environments requires collaboration, creativity and meaningful opportunities for young people to participate.

For NDPHS, this work connects school environments with the wider goal of supporting mental health and well-being in everyday settings. Schools are places where children learn, build relationships and spend a substantial part of their lives. Listening to their experiences is an essential part of understanding how these environments can serve them better.

Through SchoolChanger, partners continue to develop approaches that recognise different needs and give young people an active role in change.

Young people should have a voice in shaping the spaces where they learn, connect and grow.

SchoolChanger is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027.

Learn more about SchoolChanger