SPARK is here to make a difference in children’s mental health. Through interactive experiences like our online multiverse and digital escape room, we help kids build resilience, empathy, and awareness. By offering tools for both children and educators, we create supportive environments where mental well-being thrives.
Understanding the connection between mental health and gender Mental health is a crucial part of a child’s development, and gender plays a significant role in shaping how children experience and express mental health challenges. In this section, we’ll explore how gender norms impact mental well-being and the ways we can address these challenges to help children thrive.
Encouraging open communication: To combat these harmful stereotypes, it’s essential to encourage both boys and girls to express their feelings openly and without judgment. Promoting emotional literacy can help children recognize and understand their emotions, which is key to emotional regulation and better mental well-being.
Welcome to the Mind Maze, a magical digital classroom where kids embark on exciting adventures to explore their emotions! With Spark the Cat by your side, you’ll learn how to understand and share your feelings, spot gender stereotypes, and build mental strength—all while having a blast!
Gender Stereotypes and Emotional Expression: Research shows that boys are often socialized to suppress emotionslike sadness and fear, as these emotions are traditionally seen as weaknesses. Instead, boys are encouraged to express anger or toughness, which can lead to a lack of emotional regulation. A study published by the American Psychological Association found that boys are less likely to seek help for mental health issues, and may rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse, which exacerbates their challenges.
Girls and emotional Pressure: Girls, on the other hand, are often expected to be more emotionally expressive and nurturing, but this expectation can lead to emotional exhaustion and anxiety. They face societal pressures to meet unrealistic standards, which can contribute to body image issues, eating disorders, and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, adolescent girls are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than their male peers.
Challenging traditional gender norms allows children to embrace a wider range of emotional expressions. Boys can learn that it is strong to seek support, and girls can be encouraged to empower themselves without the pressure of societal expectations.
In her opening address at the International Children’s Summit SPARK, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, described today’s generation of young people as courageous, as they are willing to speak openly about the experiences that both hurt and strengthen them, and to clearly articulate their needs and perspectives. She stressed that the future must be equal for all, and that the ideas and lived experiences of young people are a valuable resource in shaping society. She further underlined that emotional literacy is a “superpower” of the younger generation, empathy is the foundation of meaningful relationships, and vulnerability is not weakness, but an expression of courage and inner strength.
In her address, Member of the European Parliament Irena Joveva highlighted a fundamental message of the SPARK project: it is during childhood and adolescence that the foundations for an individual’s overall well-being and development are laid. Every emotion matters, and it is therefore essential to speak openly about feelings, as dialogue creates a safe environment in which children can be heard, understood, and respected.
She expressed her pride that SPARK represents a significant investment in mental health and in challenging stereotypes, and emphasised her aspiration for schools to become safe spaces for open and honest dialogue. In her view, it is crucial to begin in childhood and adolescence, as this is when patterns are formed that can evolve into shared societal values. Every child must have access to support, understanding, and safety — a goal to which the SPARK project is fully committed.
To sem jaz (“This Is Me”) is an online platform dedicated to supporting adolescents’ mental health. It offers an anonymous counselling forum, the opportunity to chat with a professional, and expert responses from psychologists and other specialists to young people’s questions. The platform also features a wide range of online content on relationships, falling in love, self-esteem, emotional distress, sexuality, and other topics relevant to growing up, as well as online courses aimed at developing social and emotional skills and strengthening self-confidence.
The programme fosters peer support and encourages the active engagement of young people in raising awareness about mental health through the “True Friend” approach. It also provides free handbooks for young people. In 2025, the programme was recognised by the OECD as one of the good practices in the field of mental health.
The CHAVORE project (“child” in the Romani language) aims to strengthen the mental health of Roma girls and boys, with particular attention to vulnerable groups. The project provides training for education professionals, supports the development of parental competencies, and raises awareness among the wider public and decision-makers about the importance of Roma children’s mental health. Its objective is to enhance well-being, social inclusion, and equal opportunities for the development of Roma children.
