Basel offers anonymous peer support to stressed young people

Basel has opened a free, anonymous drop-in service where young people can discuss their worries with trained peers, SRF reported. The Ansprechbar project operates among cafés and restaurants in the city’s market hall near the SBB railway station.

The listeners are trained to offer early, low-threshold support for concerns including school pressure, stress at home, violence, bullying, war and climate worries. The project also aims to address loneliness among young people.

“I would have wished for an offer like this when I was 17,” said Sarah, a 25-year-old law student who trained as a listener. She said a simple conversation could make a significant difference.

Sarah Bestgen, the project manager at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, said the service was designed to give young people access to someone of a similar age and with a comparable life experience. Unlike existing online chats and telephone services, Ansprechbar offers face-to-face conversations.

“Not being alone with your thoughts already helps a great deal,” said Bestgen.

The university is accompanying and evaluating the project. It is also supported by the Basel-Stadt Department of Health and the University Psychiatric Clinics in Basel. The Psychiatry Commission of both Basel cantons commissioned the project, which is also intended to reduce pressure on the health system. Early support could prevent some young people from later needing therapy, Bestgen said, at a time when therapy waiting lists are long.

Most listeners are students. They must be young, psychologically stable and empathetic, and are prepared and trained by mental health professionals. A professional is also present during the conversations and can intervene if needed.

Ansprechbar is not a therapy service. If a young person expresses suicidal thoughts or is no longer safe at home, the professional takes over. The project is modelled on an initiative in the Netherlands, with similar services also operating in Canada and Denmark. Its organisers describe it as unique in Switzerland.

The project is planned to run until 2028, but its funding has not yet been secured for the entire period.