Practical approaches to protecting and promoting children’s and adolescents’ health in the context of environmental and public health challenges. 

Moderator: Caroline Barakat

Faculty of Health Sciences 

Ontario Tech University

Duration:
1–1.5 hours 

Possible workshop themes could include translating environmental health evidence into practical interventions; tools for assessing and mitigating environmental exposures affecting children; and strategies for engaging youth, schools, and communities in sustainable health promotion initiatives. The intention would be to design the session as highly practical and interactive for regional stakeholders, incorporating case studies, implementation tools, and discussion of real-world barriers and solutions so participants leave with actionable strategies they can apply in their own contexts.

Exposome research in children with physical and social exposures 

Moderator: Peter van den Hazel and Anna Sandionigi

Chair INCHES

Quantia Consulting

Duration:
1 hour

Workshop Abstract / Description:

Workshop explaining the multiple exposures of the physical and social domain on children’s mental health and cognitive development. Explanation of models and policy implications.

This workshop deals with the role of stakeholders in using complex research results of an EU-funded research project called Equal-Life. See www.equal-life.eu 

Goal:
To introduce participants to the exposome concept and strengthen their ability to understand, assess, and apply knowledge about the combined effects of environmental exposures on children’s health and development.

Environmental Epidemiology

Moderator: Hanns Moshammer

University of Vienna

Duration:
1–1.5 hours 

Workshop Abstract / Description:

This workshop is primarily targeted at PhD students who already have a rough idea about their research theme, and it should be in the fields of environmental or occupational health.

This workshop will consist of 2 parts. In the first part, roughly 45 minutes, is a presentation on study types in environmental epidemiology (and on how to write a scientific paper). In the second part (45 minutes again), participants are invited to suggest topics for their research. The moderator welcomes at least 3 volunteers to prepare some ideas: what are you interested in (exposures and health outcomes)? How could you obtain the necessary data (own observations, hospital data, governmental statistics, ...)? Then, we will discuss how to proceed, which study type might best fit the research question, what else would be needed (e.g., data on confounding factors, funding for or help with instruments to collect data, cooperation with other disciplines). A 15-minute discussion per volunteer seems a reasonable time.

Human-Centred Design for Climate and Mental Health: The Climental Approach

Moderator: Dr Mohammad Issa

Duration:
1–1.5 hours 

Workshop Abstract / Description:
This interactive workshop introduces participants to the Climental approach, a Human-Centred Design (HCD) process developed in response to the interconnected challenges of mental health and climate vulnerability in marginalised communities. The initiative emerged from contexts often overlooked in global discussions on climate and health: refugee camps in the West Bank and densely populated neighbourhoods in Greater Cairo, where environmental stressors intersect with displacement, political instability, and limited access to psychosocial support.

Rather than beginning with predefined solutions, Climental started with a structured listening process. Through participatory engagement with youth, women, and older community members, the initiative explored how climate change affects emotional well-being, social cohesion, and everyday coping strategies. Using principles of Human-Centred Design and systems innovation, Climental integrates psychosocial support, climate adaptation, and local capacity-building.

During the workshop, participants will experience a short co-creation process inspired by the Climental methodology. Through empathy-based exercises, storytelling, and rapid ideation activities, they will explore how community knowledge can inform interventions that address both psychosocial resilience and climate adaptation. The workshop also highlights the use of arts-based practices—such as theatre and visual storytelling—to surface lived experiences and translate them into actionable initiatives.

Drawing on examples from the Climental initiative, participants will learn how community-led solutions can emerge from participatory design processes, including micro-initiatives such as rooftop cooling systems, neighbourhood recycling stations, and peer-led mental health support groups. The workshop also invites participants to rethink resilience not only as the ability to cope with adversity but as the collective capacity to transform local conditions in contexts of chronic uncertainty.

By the end of the session, participants will gain practical insights into applying Human-Centred Design in resource-constrained environments and reflect on how participatory innovation can strengthen agency, creativity, and community-led responses to climate and health challenges.

Optional Preparation for Participants:
No prior preparation is required. Participants are encouraged to come with an example or observation from their local context where environmental stressors affect community well-being, as this will help enrich the discussion and co-creation exercises.

Workshop Children and environmental health: an introduction

Moderators Stephan Böse-O'Reilly and Peter van den Hazel

Duration:
1–1.5 hours 

The WHO/UNICEF training on “Why Children’s Environmental Health?” aims to raise awareness and build capacity among health professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders on the critical links between environmental exposures and children’s health.

Goal:
To strengthen understanding of why children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental risks, and to support participants in recognizing, preventing, and addressing these risks in clinical practice, public health, and policy.

Summary:
The training introduces key concepts of children’s environmental health, highlighting how factors such as air pollution, chemicals, water quality, and climate change affect child health and development. It explains children’s specific physiological and behavioral vulnerabilities, the burden of disease attributable to environmental factors, and the importance of early-life exposures. The course also emphasizes prevention, risk reduction, and cross-sector collaboration, providing practical examples and tools to integrate environmental health into healthcare, community interventions, and policy actions.