Strengthening the Mental Health of Young People / Reconnect Wins the youngCaritas Award 2025

With the project "Reconnect", Julie Rainer and Daniel Lucio, in collaboration with students, are developing an innovative, school-based educational programme. This programme responds to the growing number of young people in Switzerland who are severely psychologically stressed. This preventive offering combines insights from psychology, education, and design processes to enable young people to develop their own strategies for dealing with stressors such as performance pressure, stress, or fears about the future. The project sustainably strengthens the mental health of young people and promotes essential life skills. At its core is the conviction that a solidarity society can only emerge if young people feel good - because only then can they also engage for others.

The five-member jury of the 21st youngCaritas Award was particularly impressed by the project's timeliness, the well-founded content examination, and the innovative approach. The close collaboration with various actors in the education sector and the participatory approach, where students are directly involved in the design, were also convincing. Julie Rainer and Daniel Lucio from the project "Reconnect" are delighted: "We are overjoyed and deeply grateful for this award - it is a huge reward for us after all the hours we invest week after week in Reconnect. The award gives us new motivation and encourages us to continue advocating for the personal development of young people and their connections to one another."

The variety of topics in the nominated projects at this year's youngCaritas Award was impressive: The young project creators advocate for social justice, inclusion, and sustainability, among other things. The range stretched from a solidarity disco, hikes for young people with and without refugee experience, to a radio broadcast by young people for young people. Three other projects received awards:

- The turning picture book "Astronautist" by Milena Müggler was awarded in the category "Awareness Raising". The sensitively designed book is aimed at primary school children and opens up their understanding of the life of a boy on the autism spectrum. - The project "JeViVo - Let me be part of you" received the award in the category "Participation" as it provides children with disabilities access to an inclusive daycare in Kenya. - "YoungBridges" won the audience award.

Press contact: For further information, please contact Sarina Schöni, Co-project Manager youngCaritas Award, sschoeni@caritas.ch, 041 419 22 57.

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