Greece

A group of professionals in Northern Greece, Thessaloniki, successfully completed a training and is ready to start the function of a youth friendly adolescent well-being centre in collaboration with the First Department of Pediatrics of the Aristotle University (Chair: Professor Dimitrios Zafeiriou, Scientific Head: Professor Ahanassios Christoforidis).   

A framework-based approach to adolescent well-being

The development of adolescent well-being centres in Greece is taking place within the framework of the national network of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education in Greece and in collaboration with institutional and scientific partners. It is grounded in the WHO Competency and Outcomes Framework for Adolescent Health and Well-being, the WHO Global Competency and Outcomes Framework for Universal Health Coverage, and the WHO European Region Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Well-being 2026–2030.

The Ross et al. adolescent well-being framework provides the background for understanding young people’s needs. It defines well-being as adolescents having the support, confidence and resources to thrive in secure and healthy relationships, realising their full potential and rights. It brings together five interconnected domains: good health and optimum nutrition; connectedness, positive values and contribution to society; safety and a supportive environment; learning, competence, education, skills and employability; and agency and resilience.

The programme therefore adopts a health-promotion perspective: it supports young people’s capacities and agency while improving the social, educational, family, community, service and digital environments that shape their opportunities for health and well-being.

Meeting adolescents’ needs

The adolescent well-being services for children and adolescents address all needs related to somatic, psychosocial and school health, and promote healthy choices and disease prevention. Social emotional empowerment, dgital education and social skills protocols are implemented creating a “HUG”.

This initiative is very crucial, given the special needs of adolescents and data indicating a significant rise in morbidity and high risk behaviors in both natural and digital environments. The UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education adolescent well-being services aim to support the healthy safe development of all children and adolescents in Greece.

Affiliated researcher and National Representative of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Edcuation in Greece, Artemis K. Tsitsika, is the President of the Greek Society for Adolescent Medicine and Scientific Head of the adolescent well-being centre in Athens in collaboration with the Second Department of the National and Kapodistrian of Athens (Chair : Professor Theoklis Zaoutis).