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 3 to 9 August 2025, educators from across Europe gathered in Palermo for the course Promuovere il benessere e la salute mentale degli studenti a scuola: strategie per insegnanti e personale educativo, a week dedicated to understanding, supporting, and strengthening well-being in the classroom.
The group brought together a mix of experiences and backgrounds. From Poland came Igor from Zespół Szkół Społecznych nr 1 im. św. Urszula Ledóchowskiej STO, Ivančica joined from Kindergarten Dječja mašta in Croatia, and Andrea from MS/VBS In der Krim in Austria. Mykhaylo and Liudmyla represented Ukrainian Crisis Centre Ireland. Anna came from IES Rascanya-Antonio Cañuelo, Enrique from IES Pedro de la Luna, Maria Magdalena from IES Retamar, all of them from Spain. Veronica da Cork Educate Together Secondary School in Ireland, Elena and Renda da Edith-Stein-Schule Offenbach in Germany and Romana from Jazykové gymnázium Pavla Tigrida in Czech Republic. 
​The week began with introductions and an overview of mental health and well-being in schools—looking at what these terms mean, why they matter, and how they affect both learning and relationships, they also shared the situations in their schools and exchanged different challenges at the moment. From there, the group explored how to raise awareness in the school community, recognising early signs of difficulty and building a culture that values openness and support.
Midweek sessions introduced intelligenza emotiva, understanding emotions in ourselves and others, and using that awareness to build trust, empathy, and stronger classroom relationships. The final sessions looked at cognitive and behavioural strategies, giving participants practical tools they could adapt to different age groups and learning contexts.  
Participants also discussed how mindfulness can help students regulate emotions and reduce stress during the school day. They spent the class focused on mindfulness and sensory-based activitues, paticipants walked to a green area Villa Trabia to experience how small changes, in enviroment and focus can positively affect mood and concentration. Participants also discussed how mindfulness can help sutudents regulate emotions and reduce stress during the school day.
By the end of the course, the group left Palermo with a clearer understanding of how to address mental health in schools—not just as a reaction to problems, but as an ongoing, proactive part of teaching. They returned home with new strategies, activities, and perspectives to share with colleagues and to bring into their own classrooms, helping to create school environments where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
 
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