We live in a time in which upheavals are happening more and more frequently and quickly. For children and young people, this means concretely: over the course of their lives, they will repeatedly face fundamental changes affecting their education, their jobs, their relationships, and their self-image. The changes that children and young people will encounter in their lives include, for example:
- Climate change and environmental crises
- Digital transformation with even more automation and AI
- Upheaval and reorientation in the world of work
- Social and political change
In this context, resilience – the ability to deal with stress and change, to adapt, and to remain capable of acting – is not a “nice to have”, but a central future skill. That's why we want to look at how children and young people can be supported in building resilience.
5 tips on how we can support children and young people in building resilience
1. Normalise change and frame it as a field of learning
Instead of presenting change as an exception or a threat, you can make it visible as a normal part of life and as an opportunity to learn. Talk openly about current and upcoming changes (new projects or technologies) and name both opportunities and risks. Use everyday examples (e.g. “Last year we did X, this year we're trying Y – what could get better, what could get harder?”). In this way, children and young people experience that change does not automatically have to mean uncertainty, but can be something they can help shape and manage. This reduces fear and fosters a growth mindset.
2. Take feelings seriously
Resilience does not come from toughening up, but from children and young people learning to recognise and name their feelings and to deal with them constructively. Create regular, low-threshold spaces to talk about worries, hopes, and experiences with change – for example in short check-in rounds or via an anonymous question box. Validate young people's feelings (“It's completely normal to feel unsure when so much is changing”) and develop coping strategies together with them: What has helped you before? What could you try next time – a breathing exercise, a short break, a clear plan? In this way, children and young people learn: my feelings are okay, and at the same time I have tools to regulate myself. This strengthens self-efficacy and emotional stability.
By the way, this and similar content is part of our “Stabile Gefühle” workshop. You can find more information about our workshop offerings here.
3. Provide structure and create choices
Resilience needs both: reliable frameworks that provide security, and experiences of self-determination that foster autonomy. So keep clear, predictable routines, especially in phases of major change. In the past, we have often seen that schools or training institutions can offer exactly this stability and structure that is missing in other areas of life.
At the same time, you can deliberately build in choices, for example between methods or topics within a framework. Make transparent what is fixed and where there is room for manoeuvre (“These are the goals we have to reach; how you get there is up to you”). In this way, children and young people experience support and clear structures in which they can try things out and help shape them. This fosters a sense of responsibility and the willingness to embrace new things.
4. Make mistakes and setbacks visible as part of learning
Resilience shows itself especially when something doesn't work out. A culture in which mistakes are expected and discussed is therefore a strong resilience booster. Talk openly about your own mistakes and learning processes (“That's how I tried it last time; it didn't work, so I'm doing it differently now”). Build in low-threshold offerings in which failing is allowed. Celebrate not only results, but also learning progress and courageous attempts. In this way, children and young people learn: the learning process is in the foreground, not the result. This reduces performance pressure and increases the willingness to engage with new and difficult things.
5. Strengthen support networks
Resilience does not arise in a vacuum, but in relationships. Children and young people need reliable adults and peers they can fall back on. So deliberately build in relationship time – for example, short one-on-one check-ins. Foster peer support through partner work, study groups, or buddy systems during transitions (for example, to a new school or job). Also work together with other adults (parents, the teaching team, school social work, school psychology) to create consistent messages and support structures. In this way, children and young people experience that they are not alone. That is one of the strongest protective factors in uncertain times.
What does this mean for teachers and companions?
Fostering resilience does not mean that adults have to do everything perfectly. Rather, it is about your own attitude: start with yourself and reflect on how you deal with change and uncertainty, and what messages you consciously or unconsciously send. See yourself as a learning companion rather than a controller. You don't need to know all the answers – you can learn together with the young people how to deal with uncertainty. Rely on small, consistent steps and recurring practices such as open conversations, rituals, choices – and above all a culture in which mistakes become visible as learning opportunities. Remember: resilience is a collective activity. In the class team, in the school, in exchange with parents and external support services, a network emerges that carries young people when the world changes quickly.