An intergenerational initiative for positive mental health and holistic well-being
2gether for Mental Health is implemented by KinderRechte Forum (KRF) in partnership with the Learning for Well-being Foundation. Working closely with schools in Cologne, the initiative strengthens positive mental health and holistic well-being among children and young people through intergenerational collaboration.
Children in Germany are facing a growing mental health crisis. According to the 2024 German School Barometer (Robert Bosch Stiftung):
Beyond academic pressure, children are navigating climate anxiety, global conflict, social media overload, and uncertainty about the future.
Without safe spaces for reflection, participation, and connection, well-being deteriorates.
2gether for Mental Health responds by cultivating the core capacities children need to understand themselves, build meaningful relationships, and actively shape their environments.
Rooted in the Learning for Well-being Framework, the project takes a holistic, participatory, and experience-driven approach.
It works to:
The project focuses on four interconnected areas:
Each participating class takes part in 4 to 6 full project days, structured around three phases:
2gether for Mental Health fosters change through intergenerational partnerships and peer collaboration.
Across participating schools:
The project moves beyond awareness. It builds school cultures where children and adults co-lead on mental health and shared responsibility.
The initiative is currently being piloted in schools in Cologne. The pilot phase concludes in April 2025, with preliminary findings to be shared in September 2026.
Through this pilot, we aim to generate concrete evidence of how holistic, participatory approaches can strengthen mental health, resilience, and well-being among children and young people.
The evaluation examines multiple dimensions, including:
These insights will inform future scaling efforts in Germany and across wider European contexts – contributing to a growing evidence base for holistic, participatory mental health approaches in education.
