Educatius Launches Major Initiative to Strengthen Mental Resilience in Teens Studying Abroad

Educatius, the global leader in high school exchange programs, is launching an ambitious project to enhance the mental well-being of students – the Global Youth Mental Resilience Initiative. Offering resources and practical tools to enable international students to thrive beyond their academic pursuits.

“The teenage years can be quite challenging, and studies highlight the need to uplift the mental well-being of our youth. As a high school exchange provider, we have both the opportunity and responsibility to work proactively and provide our students with a strong and healthy foundation to stand on,” says John Cedergårdh CEO of Educatius.

The Global Youth Mental Resilience Initiative adopts a comprehensive approach to boost students' mental well-being; inviting students, parents, agents and host families to take part in programs and activities. Acceptance policies are being reviewed and resilience courses, developed by mental health professionals, will be introduced in October 2023. The ambition is to provide stakeholders with valuable tools to face new challenges and manage common experiences like homesickness, stress and culture shock.

Each year, a global index will be constructed via an in-depth survey, evaluating the mental resilience of teenagers worldwide. The Global Youth Mental Resilience Index by Educatius will shed light on current youth resilience trends, provide a foundation for future projects and act as a starting point for discussions about how to improve teen mental well-being.

“Our goal is to give students the best possible conditions to succeed, both academically and in other aspects of life. And we believe that by supporting our students’ resilience and coping skills they will be better equipped to confront and overcome challenges as they go out into the world and pursue their dreams,” says Cedergårdh.