"HEALthyME - Mental Well-Being of Young People in Schools in Macedonia"

The project HEALthyME – Mental Well-being of Youth in Schools in Macedonia aims to improve the mental health of students and teachers in primary schools through the introduction of mindfulness practices and other self-awareness techniques. The project is designed to help for young people to develop emotional regulation skills, improve their communication skills and learn how to cope with stress and challenges in everyday life.

On September 30, 2024, we held an amazing session at Krume Kepeski Elementary School with 24 wonderful children aged 10 to 13. The children were full of energy and joined the activities with joy. I started the session with the story "The Ripple Effect", which showed them the meaning of kindness – how a small act of kindness can create a huge positive effect.

The children were very cooperative and really enjoyed the games. Then we had a string game where we showed that we are all connected and our thoughts and actions have an impact on each other. The game was a wonderful experience for everyone – the children literally felt the meaning of togetherness.

Then, I encouraged the children to express themselves through reflective drawing. Each of them wrote a good thought and then they exchanged their thoughts with their friends, reading them out loud. It was truly inspiring to hear their words full of kindness and positivity.

We ended the session with mindful breathing, where the children learned how to calm down and spread kindness to themselves and others. It was the first time for many to encounter mindfulness, but they really enjoyed the experience.

Mind & Life Institute, as the sponsor of this project, is an organization that focuses on integrating science and contemplative practices as a way to improve well-being and solve problems related to mental health. Their support is of utmost importance as they believe in the power of mindfulness and contemplative practices to bring about positive change in the lives of young people.

Why is it important to apply mindfulness practices to young people?

In today's time, young people face many challenges, from school, to social and emotional problems. Mindfulness practices enable young people to develop self-awareness, understand their emotions and cope with stress in a healthy and constructive way. Through these techniques, they learn to stay present in the moment, regulate their reactions, and create a balance between their thoughts and feelings.

What young people get from mindfulness practices:

1. Better self-awareness and emotional regulation: Young people will learn to recognize and understand their emotions, which will help them to react more moderately in stressful situations.
2. Reducing stress: Through regular mindful breathing and meditation practices, students will be able to reduce stress and anxiety.
3. Improving concentration: Mindfulness teaches children how to focus on the moment and improve their attention, which is useful for schoolwork.
4. Increased empathy and kindness: Through practices of loving-kindness meditation, young people learn to develop empathy and kindness towards themselves and others.
5. Improving general mental health: Mindfulness has long-term positive effects on mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in young people.

Through HEALthyME, students in Macedonia will have the opportunity to learn techniques that will not only help them cope with challenges at school, but also make them more self-aware and happier in everyday life. Many thanks to the principal and the teachers who helped us realize this session and who showed huge support for the project. Without them, this activity would not have been so successful.

We look forward to the next session and all the wonderful moments that await us with these young minds!

Biljana Pesheva

Suna Healthy Life