Youth Tourism in the Context of Psychological and Pedagogical Support and Wellness Technologies in the Educational Space of Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The article substantiates the psychological and pedagogical foundations for organizing youth tourism in higher education institutions, taking into account the integration of wellness technologies as an innovative form of fostering resilience, maintaining psychophysiological balance, and enhancing social inclusion among students. The relevance of the study is driven by the growing need to implement health-preserving approaches in the educational process in response to increasing hypodynamia, academic burnout, emotional instability, and weakening of social ties among university students. The aim of the study is to scientifically substantiate a model of psychological and pedagogical support for student tourism based on the principles of wellness technologies as a tool for integrating formal and non-formal education and promoting mental recovery. The article presents the results of a theoretical analysis of scholarly sources and empirical evaluation of the barriers and factors influencing the effective implementation of tourism initiatives in higher education institutions. An original structural-functional model is proposed, which includes six interrelated components: target, motivational-value, content, operational-activity, reflexive-analytical, and supportive-corrective. The model's implementation is guided by the principles of voluntariness, adaptability, reflexivity, inclusiveness, and continuity. It is demonstrated that the systematic integration of wellness-based approaches into student tourism contributes to the development of emotional self-regulation, increased levels of social competence, reduced anxiety, and the activation of internal motivation for a healthy lifestyle. The obtained results may be used in educational and extracurricular activities, non-formal education practices, student governance, and mental well-being prevention programs.