A few likeminded psychiatrists from different parts of India felt the need to address this shortage of mental health services and decided to start working with adolescents, young adults, parents and teachers.
We also have excellent IT professionals on board who believe in this cause and are interested in helping us with the technical side of things.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1578396266483{background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}”][vc_column][charity_custom_heading custom_heading_text1=”WHAT DO” custom_heading_text2=”WE” custom_heading_text3=”DO?” custom_text_below_title=”Our goals are:”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][charity_icon_box icon=”charity-li-user” title=”De-stigmatize”]To de-stigmatize mental illness[/charity_icon_box][charity_icon_box icon=”charity-theme-icon-blog-share” title=”Engage”]To engage with young adults, parents and teachers on the topic of mental health and open a discussion about it.[/charity_icon_box][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][charity_icon_box icon=”charity-li-apeaker” title=”Awareness”]To create more awareness about common and severe mental disorders[/charity_icon_box][charity_icon_box icon=”charity-flaticon-cross39″ title=”Stop Suicide”]To work specifically on suicide prevention among youth[/charity_icon_box][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][charity_custom_heading custom_heading_text1=”OUR” custom_heading_text2=”STRATEGY” custom_text_below_title=”We plan to achieve our goals by doing the following”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Community awareness” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]
- School awareness programs – trained mental health workers will conduct awareness sessions at schools and colleges to improve the awareness among youth
- Media (both print and electronic) outreach – information handouts, interviews of experts, blogs of survivors, experience of family members will be published in print and electronic media
These awareness campaigns are aimed at informing about mental health problems in youth, specifically those of depression, suicidality and substance abuse.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Life skills training to youth” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]WHO has defined life skills as “the abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”.
We plan to conduct life skills training programs for youth as well as teachers and parents for the purpose of wider dissemination.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Training Gate keepers” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]School counselors/ teachers/ peers have the potential to serve as gate keepers to identify those at risk of suicide. We intend to conduct workshops for those of them interested in this program to train them to be gatekeepers. In addition, schools and colleges shall be encouraged to designate gatekeepers to identify youngsters at risk for suicide.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Training General practitioners” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Considering the shortage of psychiatrists in the country, general practitioners will be trained to pick up common symptoms and signs of depression, anxiety and substance use. They will also be trained in assessment of suicidality and sensitized about the first line of intervention.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Research and policy making” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]In the future, we intend to study the implementation and success of our strategies which we hope shall provide vital information about what really works in helping the youth with their mental health and preventing suicide, so that the program can be improved upon and be implemented more widely.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]