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Strong at the Blok – Promoting resilience among young people through an educational bouldering project in Switzerland
Project SummaryStark am BLOK creates real spaces for young people to exercise and socialise. Bouldering and reflection promote resilience, self-confidence and social strength – important protective factors against loneliness and mental stress. Help make these spaces possible!
Background
The mental health of children and young people has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Studies show an increase in stress, exhaustion, loneliness and depressive symptoms. Schools and specialist centres observe that many young people have difficulty regulating their emotions, coping with stress and building stable relationships.
The causes include the loss of real spaces for meeting and physical activity, as well as a strong shift towards digital interaction. Young people are permanently online – at the same time, they lack real spaces in which they can experience self-efficacy, courage, physical activity and social support. This results in the loss of important developmental and protective factors that are central to learning, participation and resilience.
Stark am BLOK addresses precisely this issue and creates low-threshold, real-life spaces where young people can move around, overcome challenges and grow together – directly in schools, in their neighbourhoods and in public spaces.
Read moreThe causes include the loss of real spaces for meeting and physical activity, as well as a strong shift towards digital interaction. Young people are permanently online – at the same time, they lack real spaces in which they can experience self-efficacy, courage, physical activity and social support. This results in the loss of important developmental and protective factors that are central to learning, participation and resilience.
Stark am BLOK addresses precisely this issue and creates low-threshold, real-life spaces where young people can move around, overcome challenges and grow together – directly in schools, in their neighbourhoods and in public spaces.
Idea
Stark am BLOK is a mobile educational programme that combines exercise, social learning and mental health. The core idea is to empower young people in physically and socially challenging situations. To do this, we use bouldering as a playful, collaborative and solution-oriented learning environment.
With the Rolling BLOK, a mobile bouldering facility, we bring professional infrastructure to where children and young people are. We focus on the 10-25 age group. This offer is complemented by a structured weekly programme with team exercises, reflection and methods from bouldering psychotherapy and experiential education.
When young people learn to overcome challenges, fail, start again and experience support, it directly strengthens their self-confidence, courage, resilience and social connectedness. Stark am BLOK thus creates real learning spaces that are increasingly lacking in everyday digital life – places for movement, encounter and shared growth.
Read moreWith the Rolling BLOK, a mobile bouldering facility, we bring professional infrastructure to where children and young people are. We focus on the 10-25 age group. This offer is complemented by a structured weekly programme with team exercises, reflection and methods from bouldering psychotherapy and experiential education.
When young people learn to overcome challenges, fail, start again and experience support, it directly strengthens their self-confidence, courage, resilience and social connectedness. Stark am BLOK thus creates real learning spaces that are increasingly lacking in everyday digital life – places for movement, encounter and shared growth.
Implementation
The programme comprises various formats – from three-day courses to entire project weeks – accompanied by bouldering coaches and educational specialists. All units follow a curriculum covering topics such as self-efficacy, dealing with fear, cooperation and problem solving.
With the mobile ‘Rolling BLOK’, we reach schools, sports facilities and social institutions directly on site; where appropriate, we also use existing indoor infrastructure. An accompanying school process supports teachers in anchoring the content. The University of Bern is assisting with evaluation and further development.
In order for Stark am BLOK to become reliable and scalable, structural start-up funding is required. To date, the project has been set up on a voluntary basis and the mobile infrastructure has been largely self-financed through sponsorship and funding. For the 2025-2027 phase, we need funds for:
Only with this basic funding can Stark am BLOK grow and reach several hundred to over a thousand children and young people every year – young people who experience courage, self-confidence and community through bouldering and take this strength with them into their everyday lives.
Help young people to act courageously and shape their place in the world with confidence.
Read moreWith the mobile ‘Rolling BLOK’, we reach schools, sports facilities and social institutions directly on site; where appropriate, we also use existing indoor infrastructure. An accompanying school process supports teachers in anchoring the content. The University of Bern is assisting with evaluation and further development.
In order for Stark am BLOK to become reliable and scalable, structural start-up funding is required. To date, the project has been set up on a voluntary basis and the mobile infrastructure has been largely self-financed through sponsorship and funding. For the 2025-2027 phase, we need funds for:
- Establishing a project management and educational centre
- Training and hiring instructors
- Further developing materials, processes and safety standards
- Rolling BLOK deployments throughout Switzerland
- External impact evaluation by the University of Bern (Institute of Sports Science, Department of Health Sciences)
Only with this basic funding can Stark am BLOK grow and reach several hundred to over a thousand children and young people every year – young people who experience courage, self-confidence and community through bouldering and take this strength with them into their everyday lives.
Help young people to act courageously and shape their place in the world with confidence.
Initiators
‘We believe that the great challenges of our time require a generation that is resilient, healthy and capable of action – young people who actively shape and hold together their environment with energy, self-confidence, vision and conflict management skills. With Stark am BLOK, we create spaces where precisely this strength can grow.’
Board
Alice Martin – Certified climbing instructor VSBK and training manager at Orbit Interlaken climbing hall, founder of Blokwelt GmbH, MAS HSG in management. Active in voluntary bouldering work with young people for over eight years (ClimbAID, Vitaminberg). Experience in CSR and marketing (Mammut Sports Group). Responsible for strategy, fundraising, marketing and partnerships.
Gentiane Brack – Primary school teacher (5th/6th grade) and educator. Contributes extensive teaching experience and expertise in dealing with heterogeneous classes. Supports the development of programmes that combine movement, cooperation and social learning.
Ralf Weber – Mountain guide, former SBV trainer, J+S mountain sports expert, co-founder of Vitaminberg and active in SAC inclusion programmes. Specialises in inclusive formats, sustainable learning processes and educational preparation and follow-up.
Expert advisory board & founding members
Céline Studer – Physiotherapist specialising in therapeutic climbing.
Sarah Germann – Special needs teacher (MA), lecturer at the PH Bern and secondary school teacher.
Nicole Baltensperger – Paediatric physiotherapist specialising in therapeutic climbing; board member of the Swiss Association for Therapeutic Climbing.
Andrea Peter – Certified mountain guide, climbing instructor, VSBK expert and certified mental and personality coach.
Chiara Cosi – Teacher at the Gibb Vocational School in Bern.
Advisory board
Raphael Melliger – Teacher, sports therapist and social worker at Terra Vecchia. Founder and former president of ReBolting.
Gian Martin – Doctor of Law, solicitor, experienced manager in insurance and project management.
Dr Zafiro Hausheer – Child and adolescent psychiatrist, senior physician.
Read moreBoard
Alice Martin – Certified climbing instructor VSBK and training manager at Orbit Interlaken climbing hall, founder of Blokwelt GmbH, MAS HSG in management. Active in voluntary bouldering work with young people for over eight years (ClimbAID, Vitaminberg). Experience in CSR and marketing (Mammut Sports Group). Responsible for strategy, fundraising, marketing and partnerships.
Gentiane Brack – Primary school teacher (5th/6th grade) and educator. Contributes extensive teaching experience and expertise in dealing with heterogeneous classes. Supports the development of programmes that combine movement, cooperation and social learning.
Ralf Weber – Mountain guide, former SBV trainer, J+S mountain sports expert, co-founder of Vitaminberg and active in SAC inclusion programmes. Specialises in inclusive formats, sustainable learning processes and educational preparation and follow-up.
Expert advisory board & founding members
Céline Studer – Physiotherapist specialising in therapeutic climbing.
Sarah Germann – Special needs teacher (MA), lecturer at the PH Bern and secondary school teacher.
Nicole Baltensperger – Paediatric physiotherapist specialising in therapeutic climbing; board member of the Swiss Association for Therapeutic Climbing.
Andrea Peter – Certified mountain guide, climbing instructor, VSBK expert and certified mental and personality coach.
Chiara Cosi – Teacher at the Gibb Vocational School in Bern.
Advisory board
Raphael Melliger – Teacher, sports therapist and social worker at Terra Vecchia. Founder and former president of ReBolting.
Gian Martin – Doctor of Law, solicitor, experienced manager in insurance and project management.
Dr Zafiro Hausheer – Child and adolescent psychiatrist, senior physician.
There are no updates available
| Anonymous | 100,00 CHF |
| Angela Weber-Estermann | 100,00 CHF |
| Anonymous | 45,00 CHF |
| Enrique Olmo Rosado | 30,00 CHF |
| Enrique Olmo Rosado | 30,00 CHF |
| Cornelia Walther | 100,00 CHF |
| Peter Hollenstein | 100,00 CHF |
| Adrian Huber | 100,00 CHF |
| Lorena Dellenbach | 100,00 CHF |
| Janice Studer | 50,00 CHF |
| Vroni Bittel | 100,00 CHF |
| Melanie Pfändler | 50,00 CHF |
| Fabienne von Gunten | 20,00 CHF |
| Raphael Werlen | 20,00 CHF |
| Anonymous | 15,00 CHF |
| Flurina Reichen | 100,00 CHF |
| Joscha Riessle | 100,00 CHF |
| Aline Wingeier | 100,00 CHF |
| Philipp von Euw | 100,00 CHF |
| Vermittelt durch Swisscom | 160,00 CHF |
| Gabriele Ghilardi | 185,00 CHF |
| Vermittelt durch Swisscom | 260,00 CHF |
Currently, there are still no project partners if you are interested, please contact us via info@there-for-you.com.
Status of the project
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22 Supporters
71 days remaining
Major donor
Project supported by Swisscom
Impact analysis by there for you specialists
The mental health of young people has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Stark am BLOK is responding to this with a mobile bouldering programme that combines physical activity, social learning and reflection. Young people practise overcoming challenges, dealing with setbacks and accepting support – key elements for resilience and mental stability.
The combination of exercise and community creates real learning spaces that are lacking in everyday digital life. The project thus contributes to the prevention of overload and loneliness and strengthens skills that are crucial for school, work and social participation.
We will send the donation receipt (for Switzerland) in January of the following year.
Primary Partners
