The EQUICARES Smart Health Labs (SHLs) warm-up event held in Athens brought together local stakeholders to contribute to the co-design of more inclusive and accessible mental health solutions, supporting the project’s participatory approach.  The Athens Smart Health Lab (SHL), supported by GIVMED, brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, community members, and academic stakeholders to identify mental health challenges and co-develop more equitable and accessible solutions. By engaging universities and student communities, the Athens SHL contributes to the broader EQUICARES objectives of exploring barriers to mental health access and fostering more inclusive care systems. 

The warm-up event was held on May 26^th at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB), bringing together students from the Department of Business Administration. Participants discussed key challenges in accessing mental health care, as well as the need for more inclusive and equitable care systems that better respond to diverse social needs.

Through this interactive exchange, the event provided initial insights into the main challenges young people, the target group of the Athens pilot case, including unaccompanied children, associate with accessing mental health care, particularly issues related to awareness, accessibility, and inclusiveness. It also highlighted the importance of dialogue between academic settings and broader social stakeholders in developing more responsive mental health systems. These inputs will feed into the further development of the Athens SHL activities within EQUICARES.