Between 9 February and 19 March, the YoungMinds: Empowering Mental Health in Education project brought together teachers in Lithuania for a dynamic series of national training sessions focused on mental health, emotional well-being and creative educational approaches. The training took place at Akademijos Gimnazija, in Akademija, and included four three-hour sessions designed to support teachers in bringing mental health awareness into the classroom.
A total of eight teachers — six women and two men — from Akademijos gimnazija and Dotnuvos pagrindinė mokykla took part in the training. Representing different subject areas, including biology, art, English, ICT, life skills, ethics and physical education, the participants brought a rich variety of perspectives and classroom experiences to the sessions.
💬 Exploring mental health in education
The Lithuanian national sessions created a valuable space for teachers to reflect on one of the most important challenges in education today: how schools can better support students’ mental health and emotional well-being.
Throughout the training, participants explored key questions such as:
- How can teachers recognise and respond to students’ emotional needs?
- What role can schools play in reducing stigma around mental health?
- How can teachers support students while also working within realistic school routines and workloads?
- What support is available within schools, families and local communities?
The first session focused on understanding mental health, why mental health can fluctuate, stigma and discrimination, and how teachers can provide appropriate support. These discussions helped participants reflect on the everyday realities faced by students and on the important role that teachers can play in creating safer, more supportive learning environments.
🎬 Bringing creativity into mental health education
One of the distinctive features of the YoungMinds approach is the use of creative and media-based tools to promote mental health awareness.
During the training, teachers were introduced to the basic principles of photography and filmmaking, including shot types, storytelling techniques and the roles within a film crew. These activities encouraged participants to think about how visual tools can help students express emotions, share experiences and discuss mental health in a more accessible and engaging way.
By connecting mental health education with creative expression, the sessions showed how topics that may sometimes feel difficult or sensitive can be approached through participatory, student-centred methods.
📚 From training to classroom practice
The programme was structured to allow time for reflection, autonomous work and practical application between sessions. Teachers had the opportunity to explore the YoungMinds resources, adapt lesson plans, share their work with colleagues and discuss how the materials could be used in their own school contexts.
A strong focus was placed on preparing an action plan for classroom implementation, helping participants move from theory to practice. This approach encouraged teachers to consider how mental health promotion can become part of regular teaching, rather than an isolated or one-off activity.
The gradual structure of the training also supported meaningful learning. By spreading the sessions across several weeks, teachers had time to reflect on the content, test ideas, raise questions and return to the group with insights from their own professional experience.
🌱 Positive engagement and honest reflection
The overall feedback from the Lithuanian national sessions was very positive. Teachers showed clear interest, active participation and openness to the topics discussed. They particularly valued the practical nature of the training, the relevance of the resources and the opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues.
Participants recognised the importance of mental health education and the value of having concrete tools to support their work with students. At the same time, they also raised important and realistic questions about implementation — especially how to integrate all the proposed activities into existing teaching plans, school routines and workloads.
This feedback is especially valuable for the YoungMinds project, as it highlights the importance of flexibility. Mental health education needs to be practical, adaptable and realistic for teachers, so that it can be successfully embedded in everyday school life.
🤝 Building healthier and more inclusive schools
The Lithuanian training sessions confirmed the importance of continuing to invest in teacher training on mental health and emotional well-being. Teachers play a key role in recognising students’ needs, promoting inclusive environments and encouraging open conversations around mental health.
By the end of the training, participants demonstrated a strong willingness to use at least part of the YoungMinds materials in their educational practice. Their engagement showed that schools are ready to explore new ways of supporting students — especially when teachers are given the right tools, time and space for reflection.
The national sessions in Lithuania marked an important step in the YoungMinds journey, contributing to the project’s wider mission of empowering teachers and promoting healthier, more inclusive and emotionally aware school communities across Europe.
✨ Looking ahead
The experience in Lithuania showed that mental health education is not only necessary, but also possible when teachers are supported with practical resources, collaborative learning opportunities and creative methodologies.
Through initiatives like YoungMinds, schools can continue to strengthen their capacity to support students’ well-being — helping young people feel heard, understood and empowered.
