On Monday, the Zero Day of Sziget Festival, the SZuper SZociety Awards were presented at the festival’s VIP venue. The awards spotlight professionals, civil organizations, communities and public figures who are making an innovative and credible contribution to the mental health of young people.
Young people’s mental health is facing growing pressure. Digital noise, constant online presence, performance anxiety and social isolation are contributing to rising levels of anxiety, depression and burnout, while access to support remains difficult for many. The SZociety Movement and the SZuper SZociety Award, launched by Sziget, aim to address this challenge. The initiative supports professionals and organizations working to improve young people’s mental well-being, while bringing visibility to those who provide genuine help and a sense of support.
The SZuper SZociety Award puts credible and innovative initiatives, professionals and community figures in the spotlight, with young people themselves also playing an important role in the selection process. The SZociety Movement behind the award works throughout the year to support those who support others. As part of its “experience capital” cycle, players from the business and cultural sectors contribute their own resources and opportunities to help mental health professionals recharge and continue their work.
The initiative also places particular emphasis on disadvantaged young people, working to ensure that supporting mental health is not a solitary struggle, but a shared social responsibility.
The SZuper SZociety Awards were presented in five categories.
The Basis Award was presented to the Kompánia Foundation for its project “Relationships That Provide Security – Every Child Needs Someone Who Believes in Them.” The award recognizes initiatives that highlight the importance of secure relationships and supportive community environments. For nearly 29 years, the Kompánia Foundation has been working with disadvantaged children and young people in the southern districts of Budapest. Through the Kompánia Tanoda and Kompánia Alter, it operates a comprehensive support model that considers children’s and young people’s mental well-being a fundamental condition for creating equal opportunities. Its professional experience shows that the risk of dropping out of school, substance use and social exclusion cannot be addressed solely through educational or preventive measures.
The Horizon Award was presented to the Blue Line Child Crisis Foundation for its project “Blue Line National Helpline Service for Children and Young People.” The award recognizes the importance of accessible, direct support for young people and assistance provided in times of crisis. For more than 30 years, the Blue Line Child Crisis Foundation has provided a free, anonymous helpline for children and young people under the age of 24, available around the clock. Operated with the support of a dedicated volunteer network, its unique safety net aims to ensure that young people struggling with mental health difficulties or abuse do not have to face their problems alone, while also working towards systemic change in the field of mental health support for young people.
The Professional of the Year Award was presented to Edina Anna Balog in recognition of her professional work supporting young people’s mental health. Edina has led the Kamasztér Foundation for 23 years and continues to do so as a volunteer, remaining deeply committed to protecting the mental well-being of young people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she conceived and launched ChatHelp, a mental health support program offering immediate emotional support and crisis prevention services to Generation Z. The service is supported by a community of 30 volunteer psychologists and reaches nearly 2,000 young people every year, providing genuine assistance to those facing difficult life situations while ensuring complete anonymity and data security.
The Ambassador of the Year Award was presented to Lil Frakk. The award recognizes public figures who, through their reach and credibility, can bring important social issues closer to young people. As a musician, presenter and content creator, Lil Frakk has established an authentic connection with the younger generation. In his public appearances and lyrics, he regularly addresses self-acceptance, experiencing and expressing emotions, and the importance of mental health, while openly sharing his own experiences. Through humor, self-irony and honesty, he demonstrates that sensitivity is not a weakness but a strength, and that authenticity, embracing one’s emotions and paying attention to one another are important values.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Aranka Illésné Áncsán in recognition of her decades-long commitment to supporting young people. Known across Hungary as “Anyácska” (“Mummy”), Aranka became widely known as the former children’s home caregiver of singer Ibolya Oláh. For decades, she has worked to support the mental and emotional well-being of some of the most vulnerable young people growing up in state care. She began building her career as the head of the children’s home in Tiszadob, where she demonstrated that genuine attention, unconditional love and secure attachment can be essential to the psychological survival and personal development of children growing up without families.
Today, she serves as president and professional director of the Tűzcsiholó Association, where she supports the aftercare, talent development and social integration of traumatized young adults leaving the care system.