RECONNECT aims to strengthen the ability of teachers and school professionals to support the social and educational reintegration of adolescents experiencing hikikomori or at risk of social withdrawal, helping prevent early school leaving. The project provides specialised training, targeted and gamified support tools, and the active involvement of peer adolescents to foster a more inclusive and supportive school environment.
The initiative develops two training curricula, one for teachers and one for peer adolescents, an online game designed to assist the reintegration of hikikomori youth, and a Community Voice Station offering tailored resources for both educators and young people. These tools are tested through international and local training sessions involving teachers, workshops with adolescents, and game-based engagement with hikikomori youth. The refined resources are then shared widely with hundreds of stakeholders through comprehensive dissemination activities.
Expected outcomes include increased teacher competences in addressing hikikomori syndrome, improved mental health and reintegration prospects for affected students, a more positive school climate, greater awareness among young people and families, and strengthened connections between all target groups at the European level.
