3750 - EMPOWERING PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS FOR SOCIETAL CHANGE: THE SOCIAL IMPACT INITIATIVE

Session: 3747 - SHAPING PSYCHOLOGY TOGETHER: EFPSA'S STUDENT-LED INITIATIVES FOR SOCIETY AND THE FUTURE OF THE DISCIPLINE
AUTHORS:
Salajková Amálie (University of Innsbruck ~ Innsbruck ~ Austria)
Abstract text:
Launched in 2013, EFPSA's Social Impact Initiative (SII) transforms psychological knowledge into large-scale societal action. Since its first anti-stigma campaign Mind the Mind, SII has expanded to projects such as Better Together, Organised Acts of Kindness, Planet A, and (A)live!, reaching over 25+ European countries, training more than 1,000 psychology students as volunteers, and delivering thousands of workshops to schools and communities. Campaigns have demonstrated measurable impact (e.g., significant reductions in stigmatising beliefs, d = 0.84) and produced tangible outputs such as position papers, educational kits, and policy advocacy. This overview traces SII's development, its evidence-based approach to tackling stigma and discrimination, and its role in empowering psychology students to create sustainable social change.