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Z Zurich Foundation (the Foundation), the charitable arm of the Zurich Insurance Group and Beyond Sport Funding Supporter for Head In The Game, has released “A Vision for Youth Mental Wellbeing in Europe.” Backed by extensive research and expert insights, the whitepaper envisions a future Europe that prioritizes youth mental wellbeing and offers thoughts on how it can be achieved.
In 2020, only 2% of national health budgets were spent on mental health globally, showing societal neglect of the issue. The whitepaper presents a compelling argument and strong case for investing in this issue by presenting the current state of youth mental wellbeing across Europe. Currently, 1 in 6 young people struggle with their mental health due to factors such as economic instability, the pandemic and war- and climate-related distress. Higher rates of social isolation, substance abuse, unemployment and other issues related to youth mental health cost countries over €600 billion annually. Additionally, preventing mental health issues before they start can help young people and their countries, with studies showing that every €1 invested in mental wellbeing programs returns around €24.
The World Economic Forum’s recently released annual Global Risks Report 2025 shows that ‘decline in health and wellbeing’ is the second most influential risk worldwide. Despite some progress in funding, research and destigmatization, youth mental health is poorly prioritized. Post-COVID-19 increases in mental health issues amid strained healthcare services underscore both the opportunity and urgency to promote mental wellbeing and prevent mental health conditions. The Foundation’s proposed answer encompasses collective efforts and coordinated actions around youth mental wellbeing for sustainable impact and a future where all young people can thrive.
“We face an invisible pandemic with the deterioration of mental health and it is not being properly managed. We strongly believe that prevention is the best form of protection from human, economic and societal perspectives. We call on all stakeholders to better consider and prioritize mental wellbeing, with a particular focus on the younger generation – who feel increasingly hopeless and burdened – and on prevention and promotion,” said Gregory Renand, Z Zurich Foundation Head.
The document assesses the current state of the issue in the European Union (EU), identifies existing gaps to a more resilient future and provides actionable steps and recommendations for respective stakeholders including policy makers, the private sector, NGOs, caregivers and young people themselves. Key findings show that 49% of youth reported unmet needs in mental health care and suicide is prevalent as the second leading cause of death among youth aged 15-19.
Additionally, the report outlines key actional steps for stakeholders to onboard including how to:
- Rebalance funding to support a range of youth mental wellbeing programs focused on prevention and promotion.
- Integrate prevention and promotion of mental wellbeing in all areas of policymaking and government action, such as education, health and social affairs.
- Identify context-specific delivery mechanisms, such as school systems, sports networks and digital prevention campaigns, to create sustainable impact at scale.
- Strengthen partnerships between public, private, civil society and youth organizations to promote youth mental wellbeing at scale, increase impact collectively and coordinate actions in a sustainable way.
- Expand data collection on youth mental wellbeing, recognizing the value of different forms of data, impact metrics and evidence.
The paper draws on best practices from numerous existing and effective youth mental wellbeing programs around the world that demonstrate measurable positive change. The Foundation ranks third in the annual list of the top reported global funders focusing on mental health with 35 programs in 33 countries. In 2024, it donated more than €10 million to prevention and promotion programs, projecting an impact of close to four million young people worldwide.
Head In The Game, a Beyond Sport program powered by the Z Zurich Foundation, was created to address the youth mental wellbeing across the U.S. The holistic program encompasses grants, youth sports coach training, targeted teen advocacy and community learning. Learn more about the program’s impact.
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