The project HERSENSPIN is aimed at making research results accessible to secondary school students, their parents and involved professionals. We do this, among other things, by developing a workshop with interactive tools in which young people learn how their brains work and how this is linked to their daily behavior. In addition, we will give presentations for parents and professionals who work with young people, prepare factsheets and make information accessible via knowledge websites, such as the website of ‘Nederlands Jeugdinstituut’ (Netherlands Youth Institute). During the project we involve the target groups in the development of the products to make them as accessible and attractive as possible. The ultimate goal of HERSENSPIN is to contribute to a resilient society: by increasing knowledge and reducing stigma, psychological problems experienced by young people can be recognized and tackled at an early stage.

Within HERSENSPIN, three teaching modules have been developed in co-creation with young people and tested at a secondary school. Individual components of these modules have also been used in other public science communication activities, such as Brain Awareness Week and Science Weekend.

Anxiety Module

Includes a reaction time task to experience the influence of neutral vs. angry faces, stepwise exposure exercises for fear, and a Virtual Reality experience focused on fear of heights.

Coping Module

Features a bingo game centered on different coping strategies, a game exploring the impact of support versus criticism, and heart rate monitoring during a breathing exercise and stress test.

Eating Behavior Module

Contains a self-test on eating behavior, an experiment examining the impact of visual and olfactory food cues on appetite, and a quiz on external influences on food intake.

For each module, a worksheet, a supporting plenary presentation, and an in-depth Dutch Frontiers for Young Minds article have been developed. Although the project has officially concluded, new modules continue to be added to the platform. Background information is available at www.projecthersenspin.nl. HERSENSPIN now serves as a springboard for broader science communication efforts, helping to disseminate scientific knowledge in schools.