A classroom that cares: building mental health support in schools

Supporting students’ mental health has never been more important. Teachers are often the first to notice when a student is struggling, and knowing how to respond can make a real difference. From 26 to 31 May 2025, educators from across Europe gathered in Bologna for the course Mental Health for Teachers and Students in Schools and Education, a week dedicated to understanding, supporting, and strengthening well-being in the classroom.
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The group brought together a mix of experiences and backgrounds. From Portugal came Sara Isabel Branco Batista, Isabel Maria Barradas Ventura Capucho, and Marta Isabel Oliveira Mendes from Agrupamento de Escolas Emídio Navarro, together with Teresa Rocha from Escola Secundária de Santa Maria. Finland was represented by Marja Huovinen, Minna Sahlgren, and Paula Törmänen from Koulutuskuntayhtymä OSAO. From the Czech Republic joined Iva Drochýtková and Soňa Jarošová from ZŠ a MŠ Písečná u Jeseníku, příspěvková organizace. Norway was represented by Tone Haagensen from Godalen vocational school, Spain by Mar Miñano Núñez from Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, and Serbia by Jelena Jelenic from Vazduhoplovna akademija.

The week began with an introduction to mental health and mental wellbeing, where participants exchanged experiences from their schools and shared self-care practices. On Tuesday, the focus shifted to development stages and challenges, discussing protective and risk factors and how these shape the well-being of students.

Wednesday was dedicated to emotional intelligence: participants explored how to understand and work with emotions while openly sharing the challenges teachers face in this area. On Thursday, the group practiced mindfulness through activities such as mindful circles, sound of maps, and sensitivity lists, discovering how presence and awareness can positively influence both students and teachers.
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The final day looked at strategies to cope with stressful situations, exploring cognitive and behavioural approaches and practical tools like “the bucket” method to support resilience.

By the end of the course, participants left Bologna with practical tools, strategies, and perspectives they could bring into their classrooms and share with colleagues. More than just addressing problems, they learned how to make mental health a proactive and essential part of teaching—building school environments where both students and teachers can thrive.

Discover more about this course here.