Networking for young souls: Strengthen mental health in Southwest Styria

Networking for young souls: Strengthen mental health in Southwest Styria

On November 18, 2024, an important meeting took place in Wagna, which devoted itself to mental health of children and adolescents. Organized in the Bildungshaus Schloss Retzhof, this second networking meeting brought together almost 100 participants from different areas, including education, youth work, companies and psychosocial consultancy. The organizations that were behind this event were the regional youth council, Styria Vitalis and the Education Location Network Southwest Styria.

The meeting offered the opportunity to find out about innovative projects, such as the "#Krisenfest" program and the new project "ABC of Psychosocial Health of Young People". A central element of the event was a marketplace in which 17 institutions presented their regional offers for psychosocial support, a valuable opportunity for the exchange and getting to know resources.

discussions and exchange

A moderator, Peter Webhofer, directed an idea forum that offered space for exchange on important topics such as bullying, digital media and promotion of resilience. The participants also discussed the role of companies in this matter, offers especially for girls and dealing with crisis situations. These discussions made it clear that there is a high need for consciousness formation and a collaboration between different actors.

The discussion rounds brought the challenges and opportunities of the current situation to light. It has been recognized that not only a better visualization of the existing offers is required, but also to identify gaps in the offer of help. Supervision and the support of educators were emphasized as particularly important factors. "Pedagogues urgently need more resources and support to accompany children and young people well in this challenging time," said Hanna Hörtnagl from Styria Vitalis.

Another aspect of the meeting was to emphasize the role of corporate representatives. Verena Aitzetmüller from Regional Management Southwest Styria noted that the health of apprentices and employees is the basis for a good work environment and the long -term success of companies. The conversations showed the need to develop sustainable solutions and ideas for 2025 in order to continue to promote mental health of young people.

This event was a step in the right direction to tackle the challenges of mental health care for children and adolescents in Southwest Styria and to strengthen the cooperation between educational institutions, psychosocial specialists and companies. A detailed view of the results and offers was offered at the meeting, which clearly underlined the importance of the topic.

For more information and details about the event that put the topic of mental health in the foreground, you will find comprehensive reports on www.meinbeinbezirk.at .