Supported projects

Ligue Luxembourgeoise d’Hygiène Mentale

PSSM Teen: Train teenagers for a mentally resilient Luxembourg

Portrait of the employees of the Luxembourg League for Mental Hygiene

©Gilles Kayser

  • Focus area Social
  • Period 2023

Ligue Luxembourgeoise d’Hygiène Mentale has launched the "PSSM Teen" program to teach mental health first aid to teenagers. The goal is to enable young people to recognize the early signs of mental disorders in their peers and to help them appropriately. This program aims to create a culture of mutual support where teenagers know when and how to seek help from adults, thus facilitating early intervention.

PSSM Teen courses are run in environments where at least 20% of adults are already trained in youth mental health first aid (PSSM Youth). In the context of high schools, this collaborative approach helps build collective resilience within school communities.
Inspired by the adult courses available in Luxembourg since 2020, this program for teenagers has been praised by Nadia Ruef from the Luxembourg Mental Hygiene League. "Studies show that peers are often the first to notice when a young person is not doing well. It is crucial to train them so that they know how to react and where to find help." Early recognition of signs of mental distress allows for prompt intervention, which is essential for the well-being of young people.

Person holding a book with cartoons in their hands.

©Gilles Kayser

The book "Premiers Secours en santé mentale Teen" by the Ligue Luxembourgeoise d’Hygiène Mentale.

Since its launch, 449 PSSM Teen rescuers have been trained. Nadia Ruef explains: "We have developed an offer that high schools can implement autonomously." In July 2024, three high schools will be autonomous to offer these courses. Six other high schools are being prepared for the 2024/2025 school year. The objective is for these courses to be available in all secondary schools in Luxembourg.

The project has generated a lot of interest since its inception, but limited resources have posed challenges. To speed up deployment, it was crucial to train a sufficient number of first-aiders in PSSM Youth. "We are very happy to have trained 782 first aid responders in July 2023, thanks to our PSSM Youth instructors in high schools" rejoices Nadia Ruef.

The feedback from the students after their first classes at the Arts and Crafts High School in October 2022 was very positive. A striking anecdote is that of a young first-aider who, thanks to the training, had the courage to talk to an adult about a friend's psychological problems, thus helping the friend. "Knowing that this young person was able to use what they have learned to help someone is a great source of pride and the driving force behind this project for me" says Nadia Ruef.

The PSSM Teen project is gradually expanding to more and more high schools, thanks to the good collaboration with CePAS and IFEN, allowing the League team to collect feedback and improve the program. The search for funding for 2025 is underway to ensure that all students in Luxembourg can be trained. An evaluation of the program's impact is also planned.

To prevent mental crises and avoid their worsening, it is essential that as many people as possible recognize the warning signs and know how to react. The long-term goal is to make mental health first aid a common skill, thus contributing to a more resilient society.

The Luxembourg Mental Hygiene League calls for the support of everyone so that the PSSM Teen courses can be implemented in all high schools in Luxembourg. By training young people, we build a stronger community, better prepared to face the challenges of mental health.

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