Henka program expands mental health support for Spanish students

The Henka program, a collaborative initiative between the Z Zurich Foundation and Barcelona’s Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, has reached over 82,000 students across nearly 500 educational centers in 11 Spanish autonomous communities since its 2022 launch.

Designed to bolster emotional wellbeing and resilience in adolescents, the program aims to provide tools to manage emotional challenges and prevent long-term mental health issues. Preliminary evaluations indicate significant improvements in seven out of ten analyzed indicators, including increased global resilience, better coping strategies, and improved assertiveness. The program has also contributed to a reduction in emotional distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the initiative involves approximately 4,300 educators, 750 healthcare professionals, and 2,500 families. The methodology is aligned with the Spanish National Health System’s Mental Health Strategy 2022-2026 and follows guidelines from the World Health Organization and UNICEF.