Deadline: 2 December 2026
WHO/Europe is launching a Knowledge Community to explore how digital spaces, including social media and generative AI platforms, could better protect young people’s mental health. The Community is open to all interested parties, especially those aged 18 to 30, parents and caregivers, health professionals, policy-makers, industry representatives, educators and researchers.
About the Community
Knowledge communities are informal, time-bound forums that bring together multidisciplinary expertise to support the analysis of complex issues in the WHO European Region. Designed as problem-focused platforms, they encourage members to collectively identify potential solutions through shared experience, dialogue and reflection.
This Knowledge Community builds on WHO/Europe’s ongoing work on the digital determinants of youth mental health and well-being, which has identified cross-sectoral coordination – including meaningful engagement of youth – as a leading barrier. Together, participants will begin from a preferred 2035 future in which recommendations from this prior work have been successfully implemented, then work backward to identify the necessary conditions, barriers, risks and near-term actions required to move toward a future where digital spaces protect youth mental health.
Questions for discussion and analysis include the following.
- What near-term actions should WHO take to support safer digital environments for youth?
- What would make these recommended actions easier or harder to implement in different country, community, health system, educational and digital governance contexts?
- What roles should the health sector, education sector, policy-makers, technology and AI actors, parents and caregivers, and youth organizations play in implementing these actions?
The discussion will span 8 weeks. The programme will alternate between thematic forum discussions and webinars facilitated by youth from WHO/Europe’s Youth4Health network, together with WHO/Europe staff.
This initiative supports the Second European Programme of Work 2026–2030, the Regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030, and the Strategy for child and adolescent health and well-being in the WHO European Region 2026–2030. This Knowledge Community will also be guided by the upcoming WHO European Framework for Action on Mental Health 2027–2037 and the Roadmap for action on artificial intelligence in health in the WHO European Region 2026–2033, which identify collaboration and knowledge exchange as strategic priorities.
How to join the community
To become part of the Knowledge Community, complete the online expression of interest form by 2 December 2026. If you have any questions, write to EUDigitalHealth@who.int before the application deadline.