On May 19, a conference “Mental health crisis among young people: How we can reverse the disturbing trends together” was held in Poznań, organized by the Nicolaus Copernicus Superior School in cooperation with the Poznań Teacher Training Center (ODN). The event was part of the nationwide project “Suicidology – state of knowledge analysis and educational campaign”, implemented by SGMK with funding from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. 

The conference was organized for teachers, educators and psychologists, aiming to familiarize them with the current mental situation of young people in Poland, with particular emphasis on data on suicide among youth. The latest statistics on the scale of mental problems and suicidal behavior among children and teenagers were presented. Experts discussed, among other things, the increase in the number of suicide attempts, risk factors (such as depression, anxiety, cyberbullying or social exclusion), as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the socioeconomic situation on the mental well-being of young people. 

Participants also had the opportunity to learn about the principles of creating effective educational campaigns in the area of suicidology, as well as practical procedures for responding to crisis situations at school. The conference included a presentation on proper handling of the crisis situations: how to recognize warning signs, how to conduct a conversation with a student in a difficult situation, and what procedures to implement at the school level to provide real support. Also discussed was the role of interdisciplinary cooperation between teachers, psychologists, parents and specialized support institutions. 

The event received a lot of interest from the educational community and was highly appreciated as an important step towards building systemic support for young people in mental crisis.