Healthy Youth in All Aspects: Promoting Physical and Mental Well-being Through Active Learning

Healthy Youth in All Aspects (Project No: 2023-3-ES02-KA152-YOU-000178532) was a Youth Exchange project coordinated by Generaciones Saludables España and implemented in Gijón, Spain, between 4 August 2024 and 10 August 2024. The project brought together young participants from Spain, Latvia, Belgium, Turkey, Romania, and Hungary, providing an intercultural environment where young people explored healthy lifestyles, personal development, and active citizenship through non-formal education methods.

A major focus of the activities was encouraging participants to adopt physically active lifestyles as an essential part of overall health. Through interactive workshops on healthy daily habits and outdoor hiking activities, participants experienced how regular movement contributes to physical fitness, emotional well-being, and stress management. Rather than simply discussing exercise, they actively practiced healthy behaviours, gaining firsthand experience of the positive effects of spending time in nature and maintaining an active routine. These experiences strengthened teamwork, perseverance, and appreciation for outdoor activities as accessible ways to improve quality of life.

Mental health awareness formed another important pillar of the learning experience. Interactive sessions explored emotional well-being, stress management, self-care, and the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between body and mind. Participants expressed their ideas through creative drama activities, allowing them to communicate emotions, increase empathy, and better understand the challenges that young people may face regarding mental health. This creative learning environment encouraged openness, reduced stigma, and promoted supportive attitudes toward psychological well-being.

Digital creativity complemented the educational programme through collaborative video production activities. Participants transformed the knowledge they had gained about healthy lifestyles into engaging digital content by producing informative video guides. Working together to plan, record, and edit videos strengthened their communication, creativity, problem-solving, and digital literacy skills while encouraging them to share reliable health information with a wider audience. The collaborative production process also demonstrated how digital tools can be used responsibly to promote positive social messages.

The combination of physical activities, mental health education, creative expression, intercultural cooperation, and continuous reflection enabled participants to develop a holistic understanding of healthy living. Alongside increased awareness of nutrition, exercise, and emotional well-being, participants strengthened key competences such as teamwork, leadership, intercultural communication, critical thinking, and self-reflection. These learning experiences empowered them to become healthier individuals while inspiring them to promote healthy lifestyles within their own communities after returning home.