Change takes time and care: Meet Well-being LAB and the Healing Hearts project

In a time marked by global uncertainty, Well-being LAB focuses on creating spaces at the intersection of mental health, community building, and social change, where young people can pause, listen, and learn from one another.

Well-being LAB was founded by three women from different professional backgrounds. We from Europe Direct Lund had the opportunity to speak with two of its co-founders, Ieva Ugnė Ulianskaitė and Karolina Mazetyte, about what inspired them to start the organization and about their ongoing EU-funded projects.

A journey of connection, growth and purpose

Both Ieva and Karolina are originally from Lithuania and first met in 2013 through the European Voluntary Service programme. Their paths later took them to different parts of the world before they eventually settled in Sweden. Along the way, their shared personal experiences with meditation, mindfulness, community building, and well-being practices inspired them to bring these tools into their work supporting young people and communities.

– I like to present myself as a human rather than as a project manager, co-founder and yoga teacher, Ieva explains.

Well-being LAB: From idea to impact

Later on, these ideas evolved into Well-being LAB, a Malmö-based organization offering workshops, retreats, and EU-funded projects that support young people - and those who guide them - by making well-being tools accessible. Through EU-funded programs in Malmö and beyond, the organization creates spaces where individuals and communities can learn to care for themselves while navigating an increasingly complex world.

If you are a changemaker, NGO, or part of civil society who consistently dedicates time, energy, and effort despite limited resources, high stress, and financial challenges, it becomes even more important to care for your well-being. Doing so ensures that your impact can be long-term, lasting, and sustainable - without sacrificing your own well-being, your team’s well-being, or your organization’s well-being, Karolina highlights.

From division to dialogue through the heart

One of Well-being LAB’s most ambitious current initiatives is Healing Hearts, a two-year EU funded project addressing hate speech and responding to growing divisions within communities. It was launched last year, 2025, with support from the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme.

Rather than tackling hate speech solely through debate or regulation, Healing Hearts explores what lies beneath - the emotions, experiences, and misunderstandings that often underlie it.

– When people come together and connect through the heart - not through what they do or where they come from - that’s when real understanding begins and positive action can happen.

It becomes harder to hold on to assumptions or stereotypes about others. Often, people who join training like this may have never met each other and may know little about one another, Karolina reflects.

As a result, the process also fosters positive side effects, including new connections and learning about each other’s backgrounds.The project brings together partner organizations from Ireland, Lithuania, Greece, and Sweden. It began this year in Malmö with two 3 day training courses for youth workers, educators, and young people aged 18–30. Similar training courses took place in Ireland, Lithuania and Greece.

Upcoming mentorship and MindFest initiatives

In the coming months, a mentorship program will pair young participants with trained mentors, creating space for deeper one-on-one and group reflection. Similar activities will take place simultaneously in partner countries, strengthening a shared sense of experience across Europe. In 2027, a public festival in Malmö - MindFest - will showcase these journeys through workshops and reflections from participants and facilitators, while raising awareness of EU values in general and the values advocated by the CERVE program.

Karolina and Ieva emphasize that well-being is about more than personal health; they approach it holistically, viewing it as central to every topic. From this perspective, well-being includes all aspects of life, from community engagement and participation to democratic involvement. Neglecting mental health and well-being affects not just individuals, but society as a whole.

Creating spaces for reflection and learning

By creating spaces where people can connect beyond roles, labels, or assumptions, organisations like Well-being LAB aim to strengthen the foundations for cooperation and mutual understanding. And at a time when many young people experience pressure, uncertainty, or isolation, these kinds of organizations can play an important role - offering not only tools for self-care, but also opportunities for connection, reflection, and shared learning.

– Even if one person says, ‘this was the best experience of my life,’ we feel we’ve changed the world a little bit. Maybe we can’t change the whole world, but we can change someone’s world, Ieva notes.

As participants often discover, the impact of these experiences is not always immediate - it may unfold months or even years later.

– Sometimes you think someone isn’t really enjoying the program, but a year later they reach out and say, ‘Thank you, this changed how I see myself and others’, Karolina adds. So it’s a reminder to be patient and that change takes time.

– You’re not alone in this world. There are opportunities and small organizations where you can connect with others in similar situations, and spaces of care and understanding. Be open and take part in one of our events, Ieva adds.