Horizon SMILE

24/09/2025

✨ Meet Dr. Asmae Doukani, our esteemed panelist from the Reconnected project.✨

Asmae is a Global Mental Health researcher with expertise in developing, implementing, and evaluating digital mental health interventions. She is a Postgraduate Researcher on the Reconnected project at St. Mary's University, and a Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Her work spans multiple European Commission–funded programmes, including , , , and . A central focus of her research is exploring how digital tools can be leveraged to reduce stigma and improve access to care, particularly for marginalised and underserved communities.

💡Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from her expertise at our upcoming event!

📅 Register here: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b9qfz3KJR1eQRtkPmwE7tg #/registration

Thanks to the host of this edition: , and to all co-organising projects: , Advance Mental Health, , Net&Me Bootstrap, and .

23/09/2025

✨ Meet Dr. Vincenza Frisardi, our esteemed panelist at Mental Health Dialogues ✨

A physician-scientist in geriatrics and gerontology, Dr. Frisardi specialises in cognitive disorders, dementia, and complex aging care. Based at the Geriatric Unit and Center for Cognitive and Behavioural Disorders at IRCCS Policlinico di Sant’Orsola - Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Bologna , she leads groundbreaking research connecting metabolic health, cognition, and neurodegeneration.

In SMILE, she leads the project's Requirements, Specifications and Engagement of Stakeholders, investigating what drives, and what hinders, digital adoption in adolescent mental health. Her cross-disciplinary approach bridges neuroscience, geriatrics, and digital health, promoting prevention and mental well-being across the lifespan. With 100+ peer-reviewed publications and as Associate Editor of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, she is shaping evidence-based, innovative care worldwide.

📅Join us on October 7th: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b9qfz3KJR1eQRtkPmwE7tg

Thanks to the host of this edition: Reconnected project, and to all co-organising projects: IMPROVA Project, Advance Mental Health, MentBest Project, Net&Me Bootstrap, and ASPbelong Project

18/09/2025

Breaking Barriers: Tackling Mental Health Stigma Through E-Inclusion

Join us for the next webinar:
🗓 Date: 7 October 2025
⏰ Time: 11:00 – 12:30 CEST
💻 Format: Online (Zoom)

This session will explore how digital mental health solutions can challenge stigma among vulnerable populations in Europe. As 2025 emphasises global solidarity and inclusion, the webinar aligns with this focus by examining how technology can serve as a powerful tool to and foster meaningful inclusion in mental health support.

👉Zoom registration link: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b9qfz3KJR1eQRtkPmwE7tg

Thanks to the host of this edition: , and to all co-organising projects: , Advance Mental Health, , Net&Me Bootstrap, and .

01/09/2025

📢 New Scientific Publication

A Scalable and Secured HL7 FHIR Healthcare Platform: Architecture, Load Testing, and Preliminary Findings

by Valentino Šafran, Umut Arioz, Rigon Sallauka, and Izidor Mlakar. Researc Team, Univerza v Mariboru

The research is tackling two of today’s biggest challenges in digital health: secure interoperability and scalability.
🔹 The platform integrates seamlessly with PROs and analytics systems.
🔹 It leverages containerised microservices and Keycloak for identity management.
🔹 Real-time, secure data exchange in full compliance with data protection regulations.
🔹 Load testing with up to 5000 concurrent users demonstrates strong performance and resource efficiency.

This study provides a reference architecture and performance insights that can guide the design of large-scale, FHIR-compliant healthcare solutions in both clinical and research contexts.

🔗Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.46300/9109.2025.19.13

🔗 Access SMILE’s scientific publications here: https://www.horizonsmile.eu/scientific-publications/

20/08/2025

✨For , the Horizon SMILE Project was selected by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency ( ), alongside other inspiring and initiatives.

👉https://hadea.ec.europa.eu/news/international-youth-day-2025-eu4health-and-horizon-europe-projects-supporting-youth-health-and-2025-08-12_en

We are honoured to see SMILE acknowledged for its contribution to youth mental health. It reinforces our commitment to developing responsible, rights-based, and innovative digital solutions for 's and 's well-being.

01/07/2025

📩 The June 2025 edition of the SMILE newsletter is now live!

Scan the QR code to read or visit: https://mailchi.mp/rdiup/smile-newsletter-june2025

Don’t miss future updates, subscribe today!

25/06/2025

When we talk about youth mental health in Europe, we often mention the numbers:

• 1 in 7 adolescents experiences a mental health disorder
• 50% of all mental health conditions start by age 14
• Most remain undetected and untreated

But numbers don’t feel like anything.
This short video by WHO, “I had a black dog, his name was depression”, does.
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc

It’s one of the most powerful metaphors for mental health struggles.
Because it says everything so many young people feel… and rarely say.

It’s raw. Relatable. Visually simple, emotionally complex.
And still one of the most shared mental health stories ever made.

In the SMILE Project, this is the kind of honesty we want to amplify.
Because mental health doesn’t need more silence. It needs more space.

At SMILE, we’re working with young people across 7 countries to build a better response to youth mental health, one based on empathy, evidence, and lived experience.

Because the black dog may visit… But he doesn’t have to stay forever.

Share this to remind someone: You don’t have to fight the black dog alone.

At its worst, depression can be a frightening, debilitating condition. Millions of people around the world live with depression. Many of these individuals an...

10/06/2025

At Horizon SMILE, we believe that true health includes mental well-being 💚 Together, we can break the stigma and make sure everyone gets the support they deserve.

There is no health without 💚

In 2025, let's make sure mental health is given the same priority as physical health by standing up against stigma and ensuring more people can access the support they need.

10/06/2025

The SMILE project is proud to participate in the 8th European Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ESRII 2025) conference, taking place this year in Vilnius!

We are thrilled to share that a conference talk from our partner Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg has been accepted, presenting key qualitative insights on adolescent mental health through serious games:

Title: Emerging issues for the content development of a serious game for adolescent mental health: Qualitative results from focus groups with users and their stakeholders

This research highlights the voices of young people and stakeholders, ensuring that digital mental health tools are truly relevant and impactful.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore innovative ways to support youth mental well-being through technology!

🔗 Learn more about ESRII 2025: https://www.esrii2025.org/

26/05/2025

SMILE project was presented at the UNICEF Slovenija event

Unicef Slovenija runs the project " Stiske iz omaric ", a project that reveals stories of children and adolescents in mental distress, which they have symbolically hidden in school lockers, where children and adolescents often hide things, they don't want anyone to see.
Children and adolescents, school professionals, psychologists and therapists shared their stories with us. The project " Opening Closets and Revealing Hardship stories " aims to raise awareness about the importance of mental health of children and adolescents, while at the same time encouraging parents and other adults to play an active role in alleviating and resolving mental distress through talking to children. Sometimes a short and succinct "Tell me how are you feeling?" is enough.

Mestna občina Maribor Vice Mayor Davorka Pregl spoke at the event and stressed that it is essential to pay special attention to children and young people, who often have a hard time accessing help. She emphasised that the Municipality of Maribor is proud to be part of the European project 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄, which addresses mental health challenges of young people. This project is an opportunity for the implementation of more sustainable support for future generations.

The event was organised by Narodni dom Maribor.

📷: Narodni dom Maribor and Municipality of Maribor

22/05/2025

📚Explore Our New Resource Hub! 🌐

We’ve gathered all the resources from our recent joint webinar Hosted during in collaboration with European Public Health Association - EUPHA. Access everything in one place, including:

• 🎥 The full webinar recording
• 📄 Our detailed report
• 🧩 Full programme
• 🧑‍💻 Panelist info, and more!

It’s all here — easy access 👉 https://www.horizonsmile.eu/network/ , or📲 Scan the QR code !

Advance Mental Health, Net&Me Bootstrap,

21/05/2025

🧠 Curious about the insights from our recent webinar?

📄 The full webinar report is now available! It covers the experts’ interventions, key takeaways, policy reflections, Q&A session, Polls results with our audience, and more!

📄 Read the full webinar report now to stay informed!

is a joint collaboration with 7 outstanding EU projects commited to advancing mental health support: Horizon SMILE, Advance Mental Health, Net&Me Bootstrap, , , ,

📲 Scan the QR Code or click here �https://www.horizonsmile.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Webinar-4-Full-Report.pdf