This interactive map brings together the initiatives of teachers who took part in the training program under the project “Creating a Functional Intervention Model for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support” (MHPSS) and who implemented, in the classroom or in their work with young people, activities focused on identifying and understanding emotions and techniques for emotional self-regulation.

Each point on the map represents an educational institution where teachers, school counselors, or other specialists trained within the MHPSS project have carried out activities dedicated to students’ emotional development. Some schools are represented by several teachers involved, each contributing with an initiative that promotes mental health and emotional balance in the classroom.

Explore each point on the map to discover which activity was implemented and how it was received by the students. You might even find your own school!

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Create a lesson that matters!

Go through the free online module “Emotional Well-Being for Students and Young People – Practical Application” and implement a classroom activity that supports the expression of emotions and authentic connection with students.

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Tool developed within the project “Creating a Functional Intervention Model for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support – MHPSS for Children and Adolescents” supported by UNICEF and implemented by the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation in partnership with the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Trauma (ISTT).

Mental disorders affect one in six adolescents in Europe, with anxiety and depression accounting for more than half of the cases (UNICEF, 2021). Medical crises, armed conflicts, climate change, and technological advances create an atmosphere of instability that constantly tests the resilience of younger generations. While for adults these realities often generate confusion and exhaustion, children and adolescents tend to translate them into heightened anxiety, emotional difficulties, or risk behaviors, as confirmed by recent international and national reports (Copăceanu & Costache, 2022; Dobrean & Păsărelu, 2023). In Romania, the prevalence of mental disorders among adolescents was already estimated at 11.2% in 2019 (Global Burden of Disease Study, UNICEF 2021), yet access to appropriate interventions remains limited and unevenly distributed geographically. Although approximately 22,000 children and adolescents live with a mental disorder diagnosis, and 9% of those aged 0 to 18 require specialized services each year (National Strategy 2016–2020; Kovess et al., 2015 in UNICEF, 2022a), the support system remains fragmented and insufficiently adapted to current needs.

Starting from this reality and from the lack of consolidated studies on adolescent well-being, an up-to-date overview of needs, resources, and barriers to accessing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services became essential. The project “Creating a Functional Intervention Model for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Children and Adolescents,” implemented by the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation in partnership with UNICEF Romania, aimed to address these challenges. The formative research conducted between 2023 and 2024 in Bucharest represented the first step in building an integrated and sustainable intervention model that brings together the fragmented pieces of the medical, educational, and social systems, laying the groundwork for real and accessible support for all adolescents.

In 2024, the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, in partnership with UNICEF Romania, developed a functional intervention model for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for children and adolescents. The intervention started with a detailed mapping of systemic resources and barriers in education, health, and social services, in order to understand the real journey of a child from the first signs of emotional difficulties to accessing specialized services.

The project focused not only on analyzing and understanding the context but also on creating concrete tools. Among the most important outcomes is the development and scientific validation of a screening tool for the early identification of emotional difficulties in Romanian and Ukrainian adolescents, created in collaboration with the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Trauma and the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Bucharest. This tool addresses a major gap in Romania’s mental health assessment landscape and is currently undergoing approval by the Romanian College of Psychologists.

Another pillar of the intervention was the training of teachers, school counselors, family doctors, and other professionals in education and health. Through training and mentoring sessions, over 430 participants acquired skills in recognizing and managing socio-emotional problems, in using the screening tool, and in applying a dedicated guide for well-being and mental health in schools. The positive feedback received demonstrated the real need to bring emotions and healthy relationships to the forefront of the educational environment.

The project also included a parent support component, through the development of a psychoeducation guide and the preparation of thematic workshops addressing topics such as anxiety, resilience, parental burnout, and family dynamics. In parallel, youth-friendly resources and non-formal peer-to-peer activities were developed for adolescents, designed to help them better connect with themselves, their peers, and available support. In this way, the intervention laid the foundation for an integrated support network that brings together schools, families, and specialized services.

A central element of the project was the development of innovative educational and digital resources. These include a teacher’s guide on well-being and mental health in schools, a set of scientifically validated training modules, a digital app for adolescents that integrates useful resources and accessible information, as well as a compendium of non-formal activities for socio-emotional support. Built through co-creation with experts, teachers, and adolescents, these materials ensure the sustainability of the intervention and provide practical tools for diverse users – from students and parents to specialists.

An essential aspect of the project was the inter-institutional collaboration facilitated by UNICEF and RAA. The project’s Advisory Group brought together key actors such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Romanian College of Psychologists, CNSMLA, DGASMB, and the Bucharest School Inspectorate. This process of dialogue and co-creation led to the development of maps of referral systems in education, health, and social services, clarifying the pathways and barriers that children and adolescents face in accessing the support they need.

Last but not least, the project invested in engaging adolescents as active agents of change. Through the Youth Hub and school clubs, 12 youth leaders took part in an eight-month training and mentoring program, learning to develop socio-emotional activities and build support communities around them. This component shows that young people’s voices are not only heard but directly integrated into the design of interventions, strengthening their sustainability and relevance.

1. Collection of Non-Formal Educational Adventures for Promoting Adolescents’ Health and Emotional Balance: https://raa.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Colectie-de-aventuri-educative-non-formale-pentru-sanatate-siechilibrul-emotional-al-adolescentilor.pdf

2. Report – Map of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Services in Bucharest: https://raa.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Raport-Harta-servicii-SMSPS-in-Bucuresti.pdf

3. Report on Digital Resources for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support: https://raa.ro/en/publicatie/online-psychoeducation-an-analysis-of-digital-resources-used-by-adolescents-in-romania/

4. Report – Analysis of Public Policy Documents on the Psycho-Emotional and Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Romania (RO): https://raa.ro/publicatie/analiza-documentelor-de-politici-publice-privind-sanatatea-psihoemotionala-si-mintala-a-copiilor-si-adolescentilor-din-romania/

5. Report – Analysis of Mental Health Needs and Psychosocial Support from the Perspective of Adolescents (RO): https://raa.ro/publicatie/analiza-nevoilor-de-sanatate-mintala-si-sprijin-psiho-social-din-perspectiva-adolescentilor/

6. Report – Analysis of Mental Health Needs and Psychosocial Support from the Perspective of Teachers (RO): https://raa.ro/publicatie/analiza-nevoilor-de-sanatate-mintala-si-sprijin-psiho-social-din-perspectiva-cadrelor-didactice/

7. Report – Analysis of Mental Health Needs and Psychosocial Support from the Perspective of Specialists (RO): https://raa.ro/publicatie/analiza-nevoilor-de-sanatate-mintala-si-sprijin-psiho-social-din-perspectiva-specialistilor/

8. Report – Analysis of Mental Health Needs and Psychosocial Support from the Perspective of Parents (RO): https://raa.ro/publicatie/analiza-nevoilor-de-sanatate-mintala-si-sprijin-psiho-social-din-perspectiva-parintilor/

We believe that real change in education is born out of dialogue and collaboration. If you are a teacher and have questions, ideas, or experiences you would like to share, we encourage you to write to us. Whether you want to learn more about our projects, propose an initiative, or simply tell us what works in your classroom, your voice matters.

Together we can build better resources, find solutions to challenges in schools, and create contexts where students feel understood and supported. We look forward to hearing from you—because every idea, question, or proposal can be the beginning of an important step forward.

Email address: office@raa.ro