Forest4Youth: Reconnecting young people to nature for their mental health
The mental health of young people has become a societal emergency. In North-West Europe, 17.5 % of teenagers suffer from disorders such as depression, anxiety or addiction. Faced with growing demand and saturated mental health services, it is essential to explore complementary, accessible and sustainable approaches.
Forest4Youth (NWE0400643) offers an innovative response: integrating nature, and more specifically the forest, into therapeutic support for young people.
The forest, a natural ally for mental well-being
A large body of research shows that immersion in the forest reduces stress, improves mood, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, and boosts concentration. However, these benefits have yet to be fully exploited in mental health systems.
With more than 20 % of its territory covered by natural areas, North-West Europe has immense potential for developing nature-based therapies.
Sources:
Forest immersion :
- Psychological and Physiological Health Benefits of a Structured Forest Therapy Program for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders (IJMHP)
- Ecotherapy for Adolescents Experiencing Mental Health Challenges: Qualitative Exploration of Perspectives of Adolescents and Parents
Immerse yourself in a virtual forest:
The objectives of the Forest4Youth project
Forest4Youth, co-funded by Interreg North-West-Europe and the Walloon government through the AVIQ, aims to integrate the forest in a concrete and structured way into the therapeutic pathways for adolescents. The project is based on several major actions spread over 4 years (01/01/2025 - 31/12/2028):
- Identification of eight pilot therapeutic forests in different European countries;
- Development of a care protocol combining immersion in the forest and virtual reality;
- Support for 400 teenagers in nature-based therapeutic programmes;
- Training mental health professionals and forest managers to support the therapeutic use of forests;
- Creation of five reference centres to ensure the sustainability of the initiatives undertaken.
A transnational dynamic for lasting impact
Forest4Youth is based on an unprecedented collaboration between those involved in mental health, forest owners and managers, researchers and public decision-makers. This cross-disciplinary approach aims to :
- Develop solutions that can be reproduced and accessed on a large scale;
- Encourage the integration of nature-based therapies into health and regional planning policies;
- Enhancing the value of natural areas as key drivers of public health.
Reconnecting teenagers with nature means offering them an opportunity to improve their mental health. Forest4Youth aims to show that forests are much more than places for leisure: they are also places for care, recovery and the future.
This project is a continuation of the pilot actions carried out in 2024: " short breaks in the forest "