Helene Wittek is the founder of the non-profit organization Dare2Care, speaker on education, mental health and social-emotional learning and Graduate Student at Harvard University.

As a 23 year old psychology student Helene Wittek founded the non-profit organization Dare2Care. Her mission? Empowering young people in their ability to overcome social and emotional challenges: Dealing with stress, social conflicts and developing their own identity. Something that she missed in her own schooling. The multi award-winning non-profit Dare2Care has since launched an EdTech platform for educators and has implemented social-emotional educational programs in schools, non-profits and universities all over Germany.

"Supporting the young generation in their wellbeing is crucial. To face the challenges of the future we need young people who are empathetic, critical thinkers and resilient. We are happy to have supported more than 50.000 students in their social-emotional skills trough our platform for educators and 15.000 students directly in the classrooms."

Helene is currently a graduate student at Harvard University. As a Hans-Weisser Fellow she is exploring the intersection of social justice education and social-emotional learning.

Awards & Recognitions

  • National Education Award by the German Employers’ Association | 2019

  • Anti-Stigma-Award (“Ulrike-Fritze-Lindenthal-Award“) by the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology | 2021

    Anti-Stigma-Award (“Ulrike-Fritze-Lindenthal-Award“) by the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology | 2021

  • Social Innovator Award | 2021

  • Youth Democracy Award by the German Federal Agency for Political Education (bpb) | 2021

  • Startsocial Top 25 selection by chancellor Angela Merkel | 2020

    Startsocial Top 25 selection by chancellor Angela Merkel | 2020

“Schools can be a place of trauma, boredom and discrimination – or a place of equity, innovation and empathy. If we want these values for our society, we need to start by teaching them in the classrooms. I believe we can.”

Fellowships

  • The Hans-Weisser Foundation selects fellows wanting to go abroad for personal and professional development that then has a societal impact. The foundation supports my studies at the Harvard University.

  • As a fellowship holder I am part of the Foundation of German Economy. More information: www.sdw.org

  • During Covid the German Government supported social innovators to work on current socio-political issues. I was selected for my work in mental health during the pandemic.

Memberships

  • I am a member of the German Center for Prevention Research & Mental Health – an institute at the University of Würzburg doing research on children’s mental wellbeing. More information: med.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/dzpp

  • I am a member of the ChangemakerXchange: A global network of young changemakers founded by Ashoka and the Bosch Foundation. More information: changemakerxchange.org/changemaker/helene-wittek/

Speaking Engagements

  • German American Conference at Harvard University 2023

    German American Conference at Harvard University | 2023

  • Panel: Mental Health in Crisis at the PxP Education Festival | 2022

  • Social Impact Summit by Share | 2021

    Social Impact Day by Share | 2021

Press