Filming new youth mental health project!

Filming new youth mental health project!

The “Youth Strengths” project is taking more and more shape. On August 27, 2025, another day of filming for this important project was held at the Medical School Berlin (MSB). The team from the Medical School Hamburg (MSH), led by Prof. Dr. Johanna Schröder, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Trautmann and Prof. Dr. Mathias Kauff, is working intensively on the development of an online platform that deals with issues relating to the mental health of young people. This project is funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture. Medical School Berlin reports that the main goal of the platform is to provide mental health information to young people and raise awareness about early detection of mental distress.

An important aspect of the project is that the platform is intended to help young people find access to advice and support services. During the shoot, Prof. Dr. Betteke van Noort from the MSB with Carla Jung from the MSH on the challenges faced by young people, particularly with regard to access to psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic support. In addition, Umut Özdemir, a psychological psychotherapist, was interviewed to shed light on the topic of queer hostility and the associated challenges for affected young people. The results of these interviews will soon be on the project website youthstaerken-niedersachsen.de published.

Goals and content of the platform

The new online platform is titled “Strengthening Young People – Strong Together at School: For You. For Others.” It was launched by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture to support students in Lower Saxony. The platform aims to provide help in identifying and alleviating psychological distress, which has been exacerbated in recent years by factors such as the coronavirus pandemic, geopolitical conflicts and climate change. According to the COPSY study by the University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf, one in five young people suffers from a reduced quality of life and psychological problems.

The platform's content is aimed particularly at young people between the ages of 14 and 19 and offers comprehensive, age-appropriate information about psychological problems and social influences. Information about support options is also available. Teachers and guardians can also find valuable resources on the platform. Minister of Education Julia Willie Hamburg emphasizes the social responsibility to support young people in their mental health. The aim is to impart scientifically based knowledge and promote mutual help among young people.

Multilingual accessibility

Another special feature of the platform is its multilingual orientation. The website provides access to specialist profiles in different languages ​​that address the different linguistic needs of young people. Users can choose from German, English, Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish and Hindi. This is of great importance as it ensures accessibility of information and support to a wider audience.

The budget for this comprehensive project is up to 200,000 euros and will be implemented as part of an overall package to promote mental health in schools. This also includes the “Mental First Aid” program, which trains teachers to recognize mental illnesses, as well as an e-learning program with videos on relevant topics. The development took place in collaboration with the state student council and students from IGS Peine, who were actively involved in the design of the platform.

The “Strengthening Young People” initiative is taking an important step towards better mental health for young people. The platform is intended to help young people learn to better deal with their mental health challenges and seek support in a timely manner.