While student mental health challenges are widely acknowledged, students often lack concrete, evidence-based tools to navigate academic pressure during high-stress moments. The CARE + CONNECT digital platform bridges this gap by introducing key techniques derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), specifically adapted for university life. This article explores three core strategies taught within the program: identifying automatic thoughts, distinguishing effective coping mechanisms from avoidance, and applying behavioral activation. The curriculum guides students to recognize distorted thinking patterns—such as catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking—and reframe them based on objective evidence. It also addresses coping styles, helping students replace short-term avoidance behaviors with active, problem-focused strategies. Finally, through behavioral activation, students learn to overcome low motivation by breaking overwhelming academic tasks into small, manageable actions. By linking thoughts, feelings, and actions, the program…

The Thriving Schools project has successfully completed its latest cycle of training activities for participating schools in Cyprus, marking an important milestone in promoting wellbeing across school communities. The training programme included a series of targeted online sessions designed to support both educators and parents/guardians in fostering a culture of wellbeing at school and at home. Two interactive webinars for parents and guardians focused on the theme "Mental Health and Wellbeing at Home" (3 March and 21 April 2026). Delivered in collaboration with CARDET and the Institute of Development, these sessions aimed to empower families to apply key principles of Positive Psychology in everyday life and strengthen wellbeing within the home environment. In parallel, two webinars were delivered for educators, focusing on strengthening teacher wellbeing through the PERMA model. The…

The MindGuard project is pleased to announce the publication of the MindGuard Complete Guide, now available in English on the project’s website. This comprehensive resource represents a significant step forward in addressing the growing mental health challenges within higher education institutions across Europe. Designed for students, academic staff, and university administrators, the guide introduces an innovative, structured five-step framework aimed at fostering a sustainable culture of care. Central to this approach are 26 in-depth case scenarios, covering a wide spectrum of contemporary challenges—including anxiety, burnout, and digital overload—paired with practical Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) strategies. A key feature of the guide is its integration of participatory Virtual Reality (VR) training, offering immersive, experience-based learning that enhances awareness, empathy, and early intervention capabilities. By combining advanced technology with a human-centred…

The Agile Mind Scribe partnership recently met in Tenerife (21–24 April 2026) for two key activities hosted by the Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC): a Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) and a Train the Trainers activity. The TPM provided an opportunity for partners to review overall progress, assess key deliverables, and align on upcoming milestones, ensuring the consortium remains coordinated and on track.This was followed by a four-day training programme focused on practical application. Participants engaged with core concepts such as the Agile Manifesto, behavioural design, and andragogy, and explored how these can be implemented in real-world contexts. Through interactive workshops, they applied these approaches to processes including onboarding, offboarding, and organisational learning. A study visit to local businesses in the Canary Islands further enriched the experience, allowing participants to connect…

Το Ινστιτούτο Ανάπτυξης Κύπρου σε συνεργασία με τους εταίρους μας CARDET και INNOVADE LI υλοποίησαν μιας σειρά εκπαιδεύσεων με στόχο την ενίσχυση της ψηφιακής ευημερίας στην πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση σε όλη την Κύπρο. Συγκεντρώνοντας το ενδιαφέρον 56 εκπαιδευτικών και μελών του σχολικού προσωπικού από έξι δημοτικά σχολεία, δημιούργησαν ένα συνεργατικό περιβάλλον για τη διερεύνηση ενός από τα πιο επίκαιρα ζητήματα στην εκπαίδευση σήμερα: την ψηφιακή ευημερία. Μέσα από ένα δομημένο πρόγραμμα βασισμένο στο μοντέλο PERMA-Digital, οι συμμετέχοντες ασχολήθηκαν με: Πρακτικές στρατηγικές και εργαλεία για την υποστήριξη θετικών ψηφιακών εμπειριών των μαθητών Διαδραστικές συζητήσεις και ανταλλαγή εμπειριών μεταξύ σχολείων Προσεγγίσεις για την ενσωμάτωση της ευημερίας στην καθημερινή διδακτική πρακτική Οι συνεδρίες ανέδειξαν επίσης τον ρόλο των αναδυόμενων τεχνολογιών στην εκπαίδευση, με έμφαση στην υπεύθυνη και αποτελεσματική αξιοποίηση εργαλείων τεχνητής νοημοσύνης όπως τα…

Το έργο LEGENDS ξεκίνησε και επίσημα την πορεία του, φέρνοντας κοντά άτομα μεγαλύτερης ηλικίας και νέους μέσα από μια καινοτόμο διαγενεακή πρωτοβουλία που συνδυάζει τον ψηφιακό γραμματισμό με την τοπική πολιτιστική κληρονομιά και την αφήγηση ιστοριών. Στόχος του έργου είναι να δημιουργήσει ουσιαστικές γέφυρες επικοινωνίας μεταξύ των γενεών, ενισχύοντας παράλληλα τις ψηφιακές δεξιότητες των μεγαλύτερων σε ηλικία ατόμων και συμβάλλοντας στη διατήρηση της πολιτιστικής μνήμης των τοπικών κοινοτήτων. Μέσα από τοπικές φωτογραφικές εξορμήσεις, δραστηριότητες ψηφιακής αφήγησης και τη δημιουργία ενός διαδικτυακού πολιτιστικού χάρτη, οι συμμετέχοντες θα συνεργαστούν για να καταγράψουν και να μοιραστούν ιστορίες που συνδέονται με τόπους και πολιτιστικά στοιχεία της περιοχής τους. Η συνεργασία μεταξύ νέων και ατόμων τρίτης ηλικίας στοχεύει στη μείωση της ψηφιακής απομόνωσης, την ενίσχυση του εθελοντισμού και την προώθηση συμπεριληπτικών μαθησιακών κοινοτήτων. Οι βασικοί…

We proudly participated in the kick-off meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Laugh Together: Bridging Differences through Youth Comedy Clubs”, which took place on 26 February 2026 in Kielce and was hosted by the project coordinator Stowarzyszenie Integracja i Rozwój. The project brought together organisations from Poland, Cyprus, Greece, Belgium, and the Netherlands to explore how comedy and creative expression can help young people connect, strengthen resilience, and overcome social divisions. During the meeting, project partners discussed the roadmap for the next two years, including the development of innovative educational resources, comedy-based workshops, and public performances designed to engage young people aged 18–25 across Europe. The initiative will also introduce “Humour Labs,” mentoring activities, and cultural exchange opportunities that use humour as a tool for learning and social connection. Funded by…

Students across European universities frequently encounter severe stress, exam anxiety, and feelings of isolation, yet traditional university counseling systems often lack the capacity to respond quickly. Recognizing these structural gaps, the University of Social Sciences is leading an international consortium alongside expert organizations from Spain, Germany, Ireland, Romania, and Cyprus. Their collective mission is to establish a unified, sustainable mental health support standard that adapts smoothly across diverse cultural and institutional settings. The initiative addresses student needs through a dual digital and interpersonal approach. The CARE component introduces a structured, eight-module online iCBT platform offering free, confidential tools to manage stress and build daily emotional resilience. Simultaneously, the CONNECT strand establishes robust peer-support networks by equipping students and staff with practical empathy and communication skills. This empowers university communities to…

Following its launch in late 2025, the CARE + CONNECT project reached a key operational milestone during its first Transnational Partner Meeting (TPM) held on February 10, 2026, in Warsaw, Poland. This meeting marked the formal transition from initial project planning to active development. Partner institutions collaborated to map out upcoming phases, align content timelines, and establish robust quality assurance procedures for the project's main deliverables. During the sessions, the consortium focused on detailing the structure of both the CARE online iCBT platform and the CONNECT peer-support network. Discussions ensured that the CARE course remains evidence-based and responsive to student realities, while the CONNECT framework prepares for the rollout of interactive Conversation Cafés across partner campuses. Additionally, partners synchronized dissemination strategies and stakeholder engagement plans for 2026 as content creation…

The first training of the Wellbeing Champions was successfully completed on 5 February 2026, within the framework of the European project Thriving Schools, implemented in Cyprus by CARDET and the Institute of Development (IoD). The training was delivered through a combination of in-person and online sessions and involved the participation of 25 teachers from five schools. Educators with vision, sensitivity, and a genuine commitment to contribution took the first decisive step towards creating a shared language, understanding, and practice around wellbeing within the school community. This training marks a significant milestone, as for the first time in Cyprus, a holistic Whole School Approach is being implemented within the Thriving Schools project for the systematic cultivation of a wellbeing culture at the school-unit level. The aim of this approach is to…