天美麻豆

Representatives of the Arqus Alliance universities at the European Student Assembly in the European Parliament. Photo credit: M. Bo膷iarovait臈鈥檚 personal archive.

What matters most to young people in Lithuania and across Europe? What challenges are they facing, and how do they suggest addressing them? These were the questions explored by Marija Bo膷iarovait臈, a social work student at the Faculty of Philosophy of 天美麻豆 (VU), who participated in the European Student Assembly (ESA25) held on 26鈥�28 May at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. While the event brought together attendees from over 200 universities, Marija was the only Lithuanian student; she represented the Arqus Alliance, which includes nine universities from Ireland, Austria, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, France, Germany, and Lithuania (VU).

The European Student Assembly was organised as part of the EUC Voices project, an initiative by the European Universities alliances aimed at amplifying the voices and needs of young people and empowering students to influence European policy. Over a period of six months, the selected students worked in eight remote groups, focusing on such topics as housing accessibility for young people, the 鈥榞reen future鈥�, migration, artificial intelligence (AI), education and lifelong learning, inequality, etc. Marija chose to join the group that worked on recommendations concerning youth mental health. In this article, she reflects on her experiences at the Assembly.

How did you learn about EUC Voices, and what motivated you to apply?

I found out about the project through the Arqus Alliance social networks. Some time ago, my lecturer, Prof. Egl臈 艩umskien臈, forwarded me an Arqus offer for a study exchange. Even though I missed that opportunity, I started following Arqus updates more closely. The EUC Voices project caught my attention because it focused on advocacy and social policy 鈥� the fields in which I am actively involved. I filled in the application form, and after a while, I received a message saying that I had been selected to participate. In total, there were more than 2,000 candidates, and only 200 were chosen to participate. Each student applied through their respective university alliances, which were involved in the selection process. As far as I know, one student from each university of the Arqus Alliance was selected.

What does advocacy mean?

Advocacy is a practice that involves representing and defending the interests of other individuals, especially those from vulnerable groups, who may not be able to speak up for themselves. It also includes supporting ideas or policies. Therefore, advocacy can mean promoting human rights, encouraging cross-sector cooperation, or pushing for policy changes. In social work, advocacy is not yet very popular. There is a common belief that social work is primarily about providing services, while advocacy is seen as the domain of lawyers or politicians. But in reality, social work is a great field for leadership and advocacy. For example, I work at a non-governmental organisation that defends the rights of people with disabilities at the policy level, aiming to bring about changes in social policy, legislation, and other related areas. In the EUC Voices project, we will conduct advocacy through publicity. Our goal is to publish and disseminate the recommendations we have developed both in our own countries and more broadly within the European Parliament to reach out to decision-makers.

Marija Bo膷iarovait臈. Photo credit: Tomas Terekas.

What recommendations did your group propose regarding the mental health of young people?

Our group, which consisted of 30 participants, worked in smaller teams to prepare ten recommendations addressing the mental health challenges young people face in the modern world. My team proposed introducing emotional education in schools tailored to children鈥檚 age groups, starting from kindergarten and primary school through to higher education. We also emphasised the importance of including social service institutions and non-formal education. We have to talk with children so they can better understand their own emotions and those of the people around them 鈥� how to express them appropriately, set healthy boundaries, and respect those of others. Such education would also contribute to reducing the stigma around mental health.

We recommend integrating this topic into the school curricula and organising one dedicated Mental Health Day each month. On this day, psychologists and other specialists would be invited to lead various workshops 鈥� interactive and engaging sessions involving children, their parents, and teachers.

We discussed the importance of involving parents in the emotional education programme: for them to learn alongside their children, to recognise each other鈥檚 emotions, to respect one another鈥檚 boundaries, and to identify emotional difficulties in their children early on 鈥� whether they concern bullying, challenges in early romantic or peer relationships, or emerging disorders such as anxiety or depression.

It is also worth mentioning that emotional education is already included in the recommendations for schools. Moreover, institutions like the European Parliament cannot directly mandate national education systems but can provide guidelines. We, in turn, can proactively promote our recommendations not only at the European level but also in our own countries and local communities. For instance, Lithuanian schools already have 鈥榣ife skills鈥� classes. Our ideas could be integrated into the implementation of this programme as well.

What recommendations did the other groups present?

One of the prepared recommendations was to regulate AI and minimise its harm by developing psychological resilience programmes for employees working with AI systems in the communication, customer service, and IT sectors. This programme would be aimed at preventing burnout, reducing algorithmic anxiety, and assessing the long-term mental health effects of AI. There was a suggestion to encourage collaboration between content creators and mental health professionals to reduce harmful information reaching children and young people on social media.

Other recommendations included launching EU-wide campaigns to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, improving access to mental health services in educational institutions, youth centres, and care facilities; creating a more flexible assessment system in higher education to lower academic pressure; and ensuring accessible and flexible mental health services for students and children with disabilities. We also had proposals on youth empowerment in the fight against climate change and on migration in the EU, focusing on how to support migrants鈥� mental health and provide them with emotional support.

How was the Assembly conducted?

Most of us arrived the day before and stayed in a youth hostel. The next morning, we gathered at the European Parliament and received our passes to enter the meeting rooms. We gathered in the main plenary chamber for the opening session featuring welcome speeches, an overview of the Assembly agenda, insights from past participants, and a Q&A session. After that, we split into groups and finalised our recommendations in separate rooms. Each group prepared ten recommendations, which we then reviewed and discussed together.

The second day was longer and more intensive. We continued working in groups and attended the 鈥榁illage of Alliances鈥� international university fair, where students could explore various European universities, their study programmes, and global opportunities. At the fair, I met some other students from the Arqus Alliance 鈥� we took some photos and spent time chatting and getting to know each other.

Later that day, inter-panel debates were held: we visited the other groups and gave feedback on their prepared recommendations. I joined the group working on the issue of housing accessibility for young people (titled 鈥楲iving with Dignity鈥�). We spent a couple of hours discussing and offering suggestions for improvement. I proposed incorporating universal design principles so that housing would not only be modern and contemporary but also inclusive and accessible for everyone.

On the third day, we all returned to the main plenary chamber of the European Parliament to vote on the recommendations. Each of the eight groups had two coordinators who presented their proposals. Then, we had a collective vote.

It was exciting to experience how Members of the European Parliament vote and how sessions are conducted there. We each had our own desk with a microphone 鈥� once you press the button, the whole chamber can hear you speak. There were also three voting buttons on the desk; they are shielded, most probably for confidentiality purposes. During the vote, you place your hand over the buttons and press green to approve, red to oppose, and white to abstain. Each recommendation was given about a minute for voting. The results were displayed on a large screen and a smaller one at each desk, showing how many voted in favour, against, or abstained.

It was agreed that the recommendations receiving majority support could be made public, meaning we could carry out advocacy based on them.

The third day was shorter. We finished the voting early, and afterwards had time to explore the European Parliament and the city, either by joining a group tour or exploring individually.

What impression did the European Parliament and Strasbourg leave on you?

The city is very beautiful 鈥� Strasbourg Cathedral and the Old Town are truly impressive, and the European Parliament building is spacious and modern. It was interesting to visit an institution where delegates from our countries come together to make decisions that affect the entire EU. I felt a sense of pride seeing the flags of all the member states flying at the entrance and realising that so many people from different universities had gathered under one roof. It was inspiring to see and feel how united we are. Together with other students, we talked about how uplifted we felt, and how proud we are of the EU and of each other 鈥� so many young and active people had come together, not just thinking about themselves, but representing the areas they care about and contributing to change.

Would you like to work at the European Parliament?

I tried to imagine what it must feel like to work in such a high-level institution every day, but my field is slightly different. My goal is to help decision-makers take informed and intelligent decisions; I would also like to contribute to forming more open and inclusive social policy both in the EU and Lithuania, ensuring that everyone鈥檚 rights are respected. I think I would prefer to stay on the NGO side, as they are closer to the people. I would rather be the one building the bridge between vulnerable groups and decision-makers to foster connections and mutual understanding.

Participants of the European Student Assembly. Photo credit: M. Bo膷iarovait臈鈥檚 personal archive.

Why did you choose to study social work?

When I finished school, I had no idea what path I wanted to take or what to study. I am really glad I took a break, because I gained the motivation to study during that time. It took a while to find my way to social work 鈥� first by understanding what I did not want to do, then by gradually discovering my passion. The Social Work programme at 天美麻豆 caught my attention because it takes a holistic and interdisciplinary approach 鈥� we study psychology and sociology at the Faculty of Philosophy and work directly with people. Soon after enrolling, I realised how comfortable I felt while studying and preparing for my professional journey. It confirmed that this is where I belong. These studies give me a great deal both as a professional and, first and foremost, as a person.

In what way have your studies helped you grow personally?

It has a lot to do with the programme鈥檚 content and what social work is all about. To help others, you must first understand yourself and get yourself together by caring for your own well-being. All the methods and theories we learn inevitably get applied to ourselves: you reflect on your own situation, whether there are any unresolved psychological or emotional issues in your family, environment, or among friends. When learning to work with vulnerable groups, communication has to be different, more specific: you have to know how to approach people, understand the reasons behind their behaviour, and be aware of how individuals function within society. All of these topics become personally meaningful. Our lecturers teach us that in order to provide support and high-quality services to others, we first need to make sure we feel at peace with ourselves and our environment. These aspects are inseparable.

What would you like to wish for other young people pursuing their studies?

I strongly encourage young people to take every opportunity during their studies and try as many international experiences as possible. Many programmes, such as Erasmus and others, offer exchanges, summer trips, and internships. Universities offer short-term mobility opportunities for those not looking to spend long periods abroad. Such experiences are extremely valuable for personal growth, building connections, and advancing professionally. I would like to encourage young people to stay active and engaged, participate in various activities, and make the most of the opportunities available during their university years.