A garden where inner strength flourishes
Just as a garden needs care and attention, so too do thoughts, feelings and personal strengths need space to flourish. The association ‘Kopfgarten – YOUniversety for the Development of Potential, Resilience and Happiness’ creates this space.
The two founders, Judith Guserl and Sabine Reichsthaler, have a clear vision: young people should learn at an early age to recognise their own resources, believe in themselves and remain capable of taking action even in difficult situations.
Through the KOPFGARTEN@school programme, they bring mental health support directly into classrooms across Upper Austria. Through practical workshops and long-term support, pupils aged between six and 19 learn how to cope with stress, anxiety and intense emotions. They discover their individual strengths, develop confidence in their abilities and learn when and how to accept support.
Over 15,000 young people have already been reached
What makes Kopfgarten special is its scientifically grounded approach. Insights from positive psychology, salutogenesis and mental training form the basis for methods that can be applied directly in everyday school life.
More than 15,000 children and young people have benefited from this programme so far. Experience shows that those who know their strengths face challenges with greater self-confidence, develop creative solutions and foster a more cooperative atmosphere.
In the face of growing mental health pressures, this valuable preventative work is becoming increasingly important. Demand from Upper Austrian schools is also rising steadily.
50,000 euros for even greater mental resilience
To enable Kopfgarten to continue growing, Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich and KEPLER-FONDS KAG are currently supporting the association with a total of 50,000 euros.
“By supporting the Kopfgarten association, we want to send a clear message: investing in the mental health of young people today strengthens the society of tomorrow,” emphasises Sigrid Burkowski, a member of the board of Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich. Andreas Lassner-Klein, Managing Director of KEPLER-FONDS KAG, also sees the initiative as a promising project for the future: “Mental health is a key prerequisite for the positive development of young people. Kopfgarten carries out important preventative work in this area and reaches young people exactly where support is most effective: in their everyday school life.”
This funding will enable the appointment of a project officer for the 2026/27 school year, thereby creating additional capacity to reach even more young people.
#schongenial – it’s brilliant when successful companies help to strengthen young people’s mental health and provide them with long-term support during challenging times.
