Prioritise youth mental health,

 

Prioritise youth mental health, mobilise all of society, says Z Zurich report

Europe needs a unifying goal to tackle the surging youth mental health crisis. The ‘Z Zurich Foundation’ has published a report detailing how the wellbeing of the young can be front and centre of EU policy.

As Europe faces a youth mental health crisis, a recent report warns that what’s missing isn’t effort, but a shared vision. It calls on EU and national leaders to mobilise all of society behind a measurable, coordinated agenda that places youth mental wellbeing at the heart of policy.

The report, A Vision for Youth Mental Wellbeing in Europe, outlines recommendations for public institutions, schools, caregivers, businesses and youth organisations, urging that youth mental health move from the margins to the centre of European policy.

It urges EU institutions to establish a clear, Europe-wide vision for youth mental wellbeing, something it says is still lacking despite recent progress.

While the European Commission’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health provides a strong set of tools focused on prevention, early intervention, and cross-sectoral integration, there is no unifying goal or shared definition of success.

Concrete targets

Without concrete targets and harmonised indicators to guide national implementation and track progress, efforts risk remaining fragmented. 

The EU is also encouraged to strengthen its role as a centre of excellence, expanding the use and visibility of tools like the EU Repository on Mental Health Best Practices and supporting evidence-based policymaking.

A particular area of concern is the impact of social media on youth mental well-being.

This includes measures such as age restrictions, tighter controls on addictive features, algorithm transparency, and increased data access for researchers. In parallel, the EU should invest in digital literacy education to help young people, teachers, and caregivers critically navigate online environments.

Mental wellbeing in public policies

National and local governments, the report states, should apply a “mental wellbeing in all policies” approach, embedding mental health across education, housing, employment and social protection policies.

“This is not about adding a new layer into policy or a new budget line, it is about reorganising what we are already doing - in schools, sport, art, music, communities - to include mental wellbeing in an evidence-based way,”

 many municipalities are interested, but we don’t have the resources to broaden our coverage,

Focus on shared learning

The report highlights the importance of high-quality evidence and shared learning in scaling mental wellbeing programmes. Beyond clinical outcomes, the authors say programmes should track indicators like school retention, economic mobility, and community impact. They cite platforms such as the Adolescent Mental Health  Hub, developed by UNICEF with support from the Z Zurich Foundation, that enable knowledge-sharing across contexts.

“We know that there are particular moments of risk in people’s lives, but these can also be turned into opportunities to safeguard mental health for the long term with the right, evidence-based interventions,”

Private sector as advocates

The private sector’s catalytic role is emphasized, particularly for plugging funding gaps and scaling innovation - examples such as Ireland’s HeadStart Fund show how private support can empower local action.

To boost impact, the report recommends simplifying grant procedures and offering in-kind resources, skills-based volunteering and co-designed pilot initiatives. Internally, employers are urged to promote workplace wellbeing and support young employees and caregivers.

Schools and universities as engines of resilience

Campaigns like Tackle Your Feelings, which uses athlete ambassadors to promote emotional wellbeing, demonstrate how role models can shift norms and reduce stigma.

Frontline caregivers

The report recognises that caregivers have a critical role in supporting young people’s mental wellbeing at home. Programmes like Connecting Generations, developed by UNICEF and the Z Zurich Foundation, equip caregivers to foster better communication with adolescents and promote healthy coping skills.

Finally, it stresses that young people must be at the centre of shaping policies that affect their mental wellbeing. While many feel excluded from decision-making, they are often the first point of contact when peers are struggling, and are uniquely positioned to shift narratives, reduce stigma, and lead change.

binish eshtiaq