Month: February 2026

On 13 January 2026, CARDET hosted the launch of a comprehensive Mental Health First Aid and Support training programme, delivered in multiple phases. Thirty participants took part, including healthcare professionals, educators, youth workers, and counsellors. This initiative was not merely another professional development activity; it prompted a deeper reflection: How prepared are we, as adults and as a society, to recognise and support the mental health of young people?

In everyday life, we encounter moments of uncertainty. When a young person or someone close to us begins to withdraw, when concerning signs emerge that are not easily interpreted, and when we are unsure whether or how to act or intervene, difficult questions arise: Was my response appropriate? Did I overlook a warning sign? Do I have the right to ask or become involved?

The need for structured systems, the use of a common language, and practical skills to address the growing youth mental health crisis is now indisputable. Training parents, educators, youth workers, and psychologists in these competencies is essential.

Global data reinforce the urgency of such training. According to the World Health Organization, one in seven adolescents aged 10–19 lives with a mental health condition. This is not an isolated phenomenon, but a widespread reality. Yet nearly two-thirds of young people experiencing mental health challenges do not seek support, primarily due to stigma and discrimination.

The training programme aims to equip those working with young people to act as mental health first aiders. Its core framework is based on the internationally recognised ALGEE Action Plan, which consists of five distinct steps:

A – Approach, assess, and assist: The first, and often most challenging, step involves recognising potential warning signs and initiating a supportive, informal conversation: “I have noticed you have seemed quieter lately. How are you doing?”

L – Listen non-judgmentally: This step emphasises that listening is not about immediately “fixing” the problem. It involves active listening techniques, including the use of silence and reflection, while avoiding dismissive statements such as “Others have it worse” or “Don’t think about it so much”.

G – Give support and information: Providing reassurance helps reduce feelings of isolation, conveying clearly that “You are not alone”, without offering unrealistic assurances such as “Everything will be fine tomorrow”.

E – Encourage appropriate professional help: This stage highlights the importance of collaboration with qualified professionals. An educator does not treat depression but should know how to connect a young person with an appropriate and accredited healthcare professional.

E – Encourage self-help and other support strategies: The final step focuses on empowering young people to regain a sense of control through small, manageable actions and daily habits, such as exercise, listening to music, or connecting with friends.

A central component of the training is the dismantling of pervasive myths that often paralyse adults and silence young people. Misconceptions such as “mental illness is a sign of weakness” or the belief that asking about suicide “plants the idea” are addressed through evidence-based guidance. The programme underscores that mental health exists on a continuum affecting everyone and is shaped by biological, social, and environmental factors, not by character flaws. It also addresses the three forms of stigma: public stigma (societal attitudes), self-stigma (internalised shame), and structural stigma (systemic barriers to care).

Participants learn that safety must always be the primary priority. Importantly, the training programme recognises that no single professional can carry the full responsibility for youth mental health. The role of educators, parents, and youth workers in fostering safe environments is presented as equally critical to the role of psychologists in delivering treatment. Clear and structured referral protocols are emphasised, ensuring that professionals understand whom to notify, involve, and at which stage. Effective support depends on the consistent and uninterrupted application of the process outlined above, guaranteeing that young people receive appropriate assistance at every step.

Finally, meaningful discussions on youth support must also acknowledge the psychological impact on caregivers and professionals themselves. The training introduces the concepts of compassion fatigue (emotional exhaustion resulting from prolonged caregiving) and secondary traumatic stress (internalisation of others’ trauma).

The message is unequivocal: self-care is not a luxury or an act of self-interest, but a professional necessity. Recognising signs of burnout, such as physical exhaustion or emotional detachment, constitutes an organisation’s first line of defence. Establishing boundaries and applying stress-management strategies enable care providers to maintain balance between their professional responsibilities and personal well-being.

Mental Health First Aid extends beyond a set of skills. It represents a shift from a culture of silence to one of active support. By training educators, youth workers, psychologists, and parents within a shared framework, a genuine safety net is created. It ensures that when a young person ultimately finds the courage to say, “I’ m not okay”, someone will be ready to listen, respond, and a system will be prepared to provide support.

The training programme was developed and implemented by CARDET within the framework of the “Supporting Mental Health and Care for the Well-Being of Vulnerable Children and Youth” project. The project is funded by the European Union through the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by UNICEF in cooperation with the European Commission. It is carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, with CARDET coordinating and delivering relevant actions supported by the Cyprus Youth Council and the Youth Board of Cyprus.

Dr Charalambos Vrasidas
Founder and Executive Director, CARDET
Professor, University of Nicosia

About the Project

The project Supporting Mental Health Resilience among Youth in Cyprus is funded by the European Commission via the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Cyprus. CARDET coordinates the research component with the support of the Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK) and the Cyprus Youth Council (CYC). Project Reference: ECARO/PCA202294/SPD2024252

When Cyprus assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026 under the motto “An Autonomous Union. Open to the World”, it projected resilience outward. Yet at home, one chair in its democracy remains conspicuously empty: the one reserved for its youth. Taking office during a time of severe geopolitical upheaval, this presidency seeks to turn these difficulties into chances for social cohesion and resilience (Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency, 2025). Beneath the high-level summits, though, there is still a significant domestic issue: the growing distance between young Cypriots and the official democratic processes.

Cyprus presents a democratic paradox: young people vote, volunteer and mobilise, yet they rarely govern. The country recorded one of the lowest numbers of youth active in societal change initiatives at 31%, significantly trailing the EU average of 48% (‘Youth and Democracy’ survey showed; Kountouris, 2011). This lack of trust in political institutions is reflected in political representation; despite making up a significant portion of the workforce, only 9% of the national parliament is under the age of 35 (YouthWiki, 2025a). While the results of the 4th Youth Barometer, show 61% of young people aged 18-35 report they ‘usually tend to vote,’ official data shows that in recent elections, young people were rarely found as political representatives, with no reserved seat quotas or existing provisions to facilitate their candidacy (YouthWiki, 2025a).

Labeling this trend as ‘youth apathy’ obscures a deeper institutional failure: participation structures have not evolved at the pace of economic and social pressures facing young citizens. As of late 2025, youth unemployment in Cyprus stood at 13.1%, which, while improving, remains a central concern for graduates entering the market (YCharts, 2025). Furthermore, skyrocketing costs mean young people increasingly struggle to leave the parental home, despite state housing aid approaching €80 million. These everyday pressures, including energy costs and protection in the digital environment, create a ‘locked out’ generation where the ‘empty chair’ at the policy table is often a result of being too exhausted by survival to participate in governance.

If disengagement is structural, then symbolic inclusion will not suffice. Structural reform must follow. The 2026 Presidency offers a chance to advocate for systemic changes in addition to being a logistical exercise. An important initiative in this landscape is the EU Presidency Project 5 (EUPP5), funded by the European Commission and coordinated in Cyprus by CARDET. Through EUPP5, civil society is already laying the groundwork for a more inclusive future by facilitating dialogue between policymakers and citizens on themes like civic space and the just transition (CARDET, 2026). To move from despising politics to shaping policy, we must focus on three transformative pillars.

First, we must modernise the gateway to democracy. The 2025 constitutional amendment to lower the voting age to 17—along with automatic voter registration—is a significant step, though it will not take effect until July 2027 (YouthWiki, 2025a). In order to create lifelong engagement habits, we must use the 2026 Presidency as a ‘bridge year’ to engage the newly eligible voters through extensive civic education campaigns.

Second, there must be a formal recognition of non-formal learning. In order to bridge the gap between formal resumes and social engagement, grassroots activism and involvement in youth projects funded by the EU should be considered “civic credits”. Programmes such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps already function as laboratories of democratic practice. Young people develop negotiation skills, media literacy and policy awareness through transnational engagement. Yet these experiences rarely translate into formal political pathways at home. Recognising non-formal civic participation as institutional capital would bridge that gap. The Foundation for the Management of European Lifelong Learning Programmes (IDEP) in Cyprus will play a key role in highlighting these pathways as lifelines for democratic engagement.

Cyprus could institutionalise intergenerational accountability by introducing a mandatory ‘Youth Impact Assessment’ for all Presidency-linked policy proposals, ensuring measurable evaluation of long-term effects on citizens under 35. This converts young people from passive recipients of policy into active participants in the European landscape by ensuring that every piece of legislation, from digital rights to green transitions, is evaluated for its long-term effects on the next generation.

The motto of an Autonomous Union must apply to our youth as well; we cannot claim to be an open or an autonomous Union if our youngest citizens feel locked out of the room. The empty chair is not evidence of youth indifference; it is evidence of institutional design failure. If Cyprus truly seeks resilience and cohesion, widening the pathways to democratic power must become part of its Presidency legacy, not a side conversation to it.

The project “Towards an open, fair and sustainable Europe in the world – EU Presidency Project 2024-2026” is  co-funded  by the European Union and implemented by Global Focus, Grupa Zagranica, CARDET, and CONCORD, the European Confederation of NGOs working on sustainable development and international cooperation. Project Number: 2024 / 459-484. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of CARDET and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.  

Katerina Panayi,
CARDET Researcher and Project Manager

Τhis opinion piece was published on Policypress.

References

• Cyprus Youth Council (CYC). (2026). Mental Health and Inclusivity Conference – Presidency Highlights. https://cyc.org.cy/2026/01/30/high-level-conference-of-the-cypriot-presidency-of-the-council-of-the-european-union-entitled-mental-health-and-inclusivity/
• Kountouris, V. (2011, March 15). Information sheet ‘Participation of young people’ Cyprus. Council of Europe.
• Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK). (2024). National Strategy for Youth 2024-2030. https://youthpolicy.onek.org.cy/en/youth-work/introduction/
• YCharts. (2025). Cyprus Youth Unemployment Rate Statistics. https://ycharts.com/indicators/cyprus_youth_unemployment_rate_unadjusted
• YouthWiki Cyprus. (2025a). Youth participation in representative democracy. https://national-policies.eacea.ec.europa.eu/youthwiki/chapters/cyprus/52-youth-participation-in-representative-democracy
• YouthWiki. (2025b, March 28). 5. Participation – Cyprus. National Policies Platform. https://national-policies.eacea.ec.europa.eu/youthwiki/chapters/cyprus/5-participation

No digital well-being without digital inclusion 

CARDET, in collaboration with the Cyprus Computer Society (CCS), has been nominated as National Coordinators for All Digital Weeks 2026 in Cyprus. Running from 9 to 25 March 2026, All Digital Weeks is one of Europe’s leading awareness-raising campaigns on digital skills for inclusion, empowerment, and employment, bringing together organisations, educators, and citizens around a shared mission to strengthen essential digital competences.

The 2026 edition, held under the theme “Digital Wellbeing for a Competitive Europe,” highlights digital wellbeing as a critical condition for meaningful participation, trust, and long-term societal resilience. As digital technologies become ever more embedded in daily life, they increasingly shape how people communicate, learn, work, and engage with public services. While digitalisation opens new opportunities, it also introduces challenges that directly affect wellbeing, safety, and inclusion.

Digital participation is not neutral. The ways in which individuals interact with technology can either empower them or deepen existing inequalities and vulnerabilities. For many people — including young individuals, older adults, and those with limited digital skills — digital environments may feel complex, overwhelming, or unsafe. In this context, healthy digital habits are not merely desirable; they are fundamental to fostering confident and inclusive digital participation.

Why Digital Well-being Matters

Healthy digital habits enable individuals to use technology in ways that support autonomy, confidence, and personal wellbeing. They include the ability to manage screen time, recognise and respond to online risks, protect personal data, and critically evaluate digital content. Without such competences, users may be more exposed to misinformation, privacy violations, online harassment, and patterns of digital engagement that undermine trust and participation.

Insights emerging from civil society organisations and educational practice consistently point to similar concerns. Many users report the negative effects of excessive screen exposure, difficulties navigating digital safety issues, and limited awareness of digital rights, including data protection and the right to data deletion. Importantly, these challenges tend to disproportionately affect those who already face barriers to digital inclusion, thereby reinforcing rather than reducing inequalities.

Digital wellbeing therefore extends beyond individual behaviour. It is closely linked to social cohesion, democratic participation, economic opportunity, and the capacity of citizens to engage confidently in digital societies. Strengthening digital wellbeing contributes not only to personal resilience but also to more inclusive and trustworthy digital ecosystems.

All Digital Weeks 2026

All Digital Weeks will officially launch on 10 March 2026 with a European event in Brussels, followed by a wide range of national and local activities coordinated across participating countries. Throughout the campaign period, events, workshops, and training initiatives will be featured on the campaign’s interactive map, showcasing diverse practices that advance digital skills and inclusion.

In Cyprus, CARDET and CCS will coordinate a series of workshops, information sessions, stakeholder meetings, and engagement activities designed to promote digital skills, foster dialogue, and strengthen awareness of digital wellbeing. These initiatives aim to support citizens, educators, professionals, and institutions in navigating the opportunities and risks of digital transformation.

Statement of All Digital CEO

“Digital skills now decide who can work, access public services, and take part in society,” says David Mekkaoui, CEO of All Digital. “For those already skilled, digital inclusion means wider user bases, shared European values and a stronger economy. For those less confident, it means access to jobs, public services, reliable information, and everyday independence. All Digital Weeks exists to close that gap, locally, practically, and for everyone”.

Get Involved!

All Digital Weeks 2026 is open to everyone, organisations, educators, policymakers, and citizens alike. To participate, organise an event, or explore learning opportunities, visit: https://all-digital.org/all-digital-weeks/

Join the conversation online using #AllDigitalWeeks #ADWeeks2026 and help us build a more inclusive digital future for all! 

About All Digital

All Digital is a leading pan-European association based in Brussels, representing member organisations across Europe that work to enhance digital skills and competences of all people, making them aware and capable to foster their employability, access and user online services and be included in today’s society, with the ultimate goal of improving their quality of life.

All Digital represents digital education stakeholders, such as digital competence centres, adult education centres, community centres, schools, libraries and their networks across Europe where young people and adults can access training and support to improve their digital skills and keep up to date with the latest technological developments, to exploit the opportunities of digital transformation.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Alexandre Oliveira
Events manager, All Digital
alexandre.almeida@all-digital.org

Recognising the pivotal role of educators and the evolving challenges of contemporary classrooms, CARDET actively contributed to Teacher’s Day on Tuesday, 10 February, by delivering two specialised professional development seminars. The initiatives underscored CARDET’s continued commitment to supporting teacher wellbeing, fostering collaborative school cultures, and advancing innovative teaching practices through digital technologies.

The first seminar, “Teacher Wellbeing and Collegiality”, was held at Ethnarch Makarios III Lyceum A’ in Paphos and facilitated by CARDET researcher Elena Xeni. The session centred on cultivating positive school environments, strengthening collegial relationships, and promoting approaches that enhance wellbeing and mental health within educational settings. The seminar reflected the guiding principles of the Thriving Schools and PERMA-Digital projects.

Grounded in Positive Psychology and the PERMA model, the training highlighted collegial support as a critical protective factor against professional stress and burnout. Through interactive activities, participating educators examined common barriers to collaboration, including workload pressures and professional isolation, while exploring practical strategies such as mentoring, peer observation, and the development of Professional Learning Communities. The seminar concluded by encouraging educators to actively cultivate collegial support initiatives to reinforce resilience and professional growth.

The second seminar, “Engaging Students through Innovative Digital Methods and Tools”, was conducted at Agios Ioannis Lyceum in Limassol and Polemidia Lyceum, and facilitated by CARDET researcher Simoni Khenkin. The seminar introduced contemporary, practice-oriented approaches aimed at enhancing student engagement, drawing on methodologies and tools developed through CARDET’s TINKER, Digital Harmony, and Glitter projects.

Particular emphasis was placed on developing a foundational understanding of Generative AI tools and their practical applications in secondary education. Educators explored how such technologies can support lesson planning, classroom organisation, and the creation of instructional materials, addressing persistent challenges such as time constraints. Participants engaged with tools including ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, and creative platforms such as CanvaAI, gaining insights into how digital innovation can meaningfully enrich teaching and learning practices.

By investing in educator wellbeing and equipping teachers with forward-looking pedagogical tools, CARDET continues to promote resilient, collaborative, and future-ready school communities. Teacher’s Day served as a timely reminder that empowering educators remains central to advancing meaningful and sustainable educational innovation.

Childhood is a critical time both for diagnosing mental health disorders and getting help. Around half of mental health disorders begin before age 14, and three quarters before 25[1]. When systems fail to support children and young people, they miss the most effective window of opportunity for prevention, early intervention and recovery.

Ensuring children and young people have access to support is an urgent national priority. It is especially critical that help is available as soon as problems arise: lack of early support can have lifelong consequences for children, families and societies at large.

A survey[2] conducted through face-to-face interviews with 500 young people aged 18-35 in Cyprus offers a glimpse into how mental health challenges can manifest in early adulthood. An astonishing seven in eight young people reported feeling high levels of anxiety and uncertainty about the future, and three quarters reported feeling pressure and stress. Mild symptoms of depression were found in nearly two thirds of young people who participated in the survey, and one in four exhibited significant or severe signs of depression. 

A recent report from UNICEF[3], developed in collaboration with CARDET Research Center, found gaps between young people’s mental health needs and the support currently available to them. Services were found to be fragmented, unevenly distributed and often difficult to access. Prevention and promotion initiatives remain limited, while specialist services are overstretched. This results in a system that responds once problems have escalated, instead of supporting mental well-being before crises emerge. Access to support is also uneven. Children and young people in rural and underserved communities, refugee children and young people and those from low-income families are more likely to miss out on support, or receive support too late, due to limited access, lack of information and language barriers.

Stigma around mental health can make children and young people hesitant to reach out for help. Despite Cyprus being a society that values family, community and solidarity, asking for help can be seen as a sign of weakness, leaving people experiencing mental health problems feeling judged or misunderstood. School personnel and community members may even hesitate to refer a young person to a specialist out of fear it will “follow” them or damage a reputation. 

Yet untreated mental health difficulties in childhood are associated with poorer educational outcomes, reduced employment prospects, increased physical health problems, and higher social and economic costs over a lifetime. For society, this means lost potential, greater pressure on health and social services, and widening inequalities. For children and young people, it means carrying avoidable burdens into adulthood.

Evidence from both Cyprus and abroad shows that early support and prevention save lives, reduce long-term costs and help build resilient communities. The recent UNICEF report, developed in collaboration with CARDET Research Center, offers concrete recommendations and, most importantly, the perspectives of young people themselves. 

Child- and youth-friendly, accessible and trusted services are critical. Schools, in particular, play an important role in early identification and support. But they cannot shoulder this responsibility alone without adequate resources, training, and referral pathways.

Youth engagement and dedicated youth spaces should remain central to Cyprus’s response to the mental health crisis. Adolescents and young people require safe, welcoming environments – in schools, youth centres, community hubs and online – where they can meet peers, find reliable information and seek support without stigma or judgment. These spaces are stronger when young people help shape them, contributing to the design and ongoing improvement of activities and services that reflect their realities and needs. With its first National Mental Health Strategy, Cyprus recognizes the impact of investment in youth mental health, putting it at the centre of public policy. Young people have been involved in shaping the strategy itself. It is now up to national and municipal leaders, professionals and parents to follow through. The future of Cyprus will be shaped by how we choose to listen – and act – today.

Alexandros Tifas, Mental Health Nursing Officer, Nursing Services Administration, Ministry of Health

Anahit Minassian, Youth Mental Health Technical Support Coordinator, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia

Dr Charalambos Vrasidas, Founder and Executive Director, CARDET

[1] UNICEF (2022). Mind the Gap: Child and adolescent mental health and Psychosocial support interventions.

[2] Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK) & IMR/University of Nicosia (2021). Quantitative Survey Report on Youth Mental Health. Nicosia: IMR/University of Nicosia.

[3] https://www.unicef.org/eca/reports/young-minds-matter

About the Project

The project Supporting Mental Health Resilience among Youth in Cyprus is funded by the European Commission via the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Cyprus. CARDET coordinates the research component with the support of the Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK) and the Cyprus Youth Council (CYC). Project Reference: ECARO/PCA202294/SPD2024252