12/11/2025
This past week, I had the wonderful chance to be one of the trainers for the Hearts Training Project, which focused on helping youth workers use digital tools to support young people’s mental health. I represented the Erasmus Mundus Association in this project, a consortium with three other partners from Serbia, Hungary, and Croatia.
I’ve been involved in all kinds of international and European projects since high school, but always as a participant. Stepping into the role of organizer and trainer for the first time felt like crossing a small but meaningful threshold.
The experience was truly transformative. It reminded me how much non-formal education can shape communities, and it felt especially meaningful to work on mental health, a topic that has guided me toward psychology and therapy from the very beginning.
I led three workshops during the training. The first focused on building connection and trust from the outset. The second explored why digital inclusion matters so much when using apps for mental health, because each of us has unique needs and experiences, especially when considering migrants, international students, or anyone from minority groups.
The final workshop I led centered on AI ethics and the importance of being mindful of the information we share online, and why ethical standards and data protection are essential when we talk about mental health tools.
It was inspiring to meet so many people who care deeply about making mental health support more accessible for youth, and to see how creative they were in designing their own workshops to carry this knowledge forward.
I also had the chance to mentor the participants from EMA, supporting them as they developed their own ideas to help students use digital tools during stressful periods like exams, uncertainty, anxiety, and all the challenges that come with them.
This entire experience reaffirmed why I chose this path. I’m grateful to have the chance to contribute to mental health awareness and support on a scale that goes beyond one-on-one sessions.