FINAL REPORT: Relevant Project Concerning the Mental Health of the Youth
Barangay Lingunan 3s Center
(Photo Courtesy: Valenzuela City FaceBook Page)
The youth is the future of our nation and they need to be heard, recognized, and understood by society. Their mental health is one of the most important matters nowadays. Since a lot of young people are experiencing anxiety and depression, community officials should address this issue to mitigate the stigma and to empower the youth.
According to the World Health Organization (2021), the youth are prone to mental health challenges due to physical, emotional, and social changes, such as poverty, mistreatment, or violence. In line with that, we can all agree that our country is experiencing economic hardship especially in this time of pandemic. The current situation we have right now can have a great impact on the mental health of the youth, that is why it is needed to have programs in every barangay about mental health awareness because this topic is a real deal. .
Based on the Republic Act 8044 or the Youth in Nation-Building Act, the age of the people who are considered to be members of the youth in the Philippines is ranging from 15 to 30 years old. With that being said, people who are in these ages are experiencing transition to be more open in the reality of life. As UNESCO (2016) said, they are starting to build an independent household. So, we can observe that they are indeed more likely to encounter such situations that can trigger their emotions and mental health.
Youth of Lingunan with the SK Official. Photo taken last 2019.
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
Since the given issue is concerned about the youth, I chose to get an interview with the official who has more interaction and focus on the young citizens, which is the Sangguniang Kabataan Officials. I didn't get the chance to have a conversation with the SK Chairman but I got an interview with one of the SK Kagawad.
On the other hand, the other two respondents, who were members of the youth, were chosen based on their sentiments about the SK Council projects from the past blogs.
The official that I've interviewed laid out her viewpoint about the topic in accordance to her experiences as a member of the council. While the members of the youth spoke in line with their observations to the actions made by the council for the past years.
Common Projects that being conducted by SK Lingunan
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
".... people would complain kesyo puro paliga lang daw. But on the other hand, kapag may other projects, hindi naman sinasalihan ng nakararami," the official said.
For an overview, the frequent complaints of young people to the SK Council is their common projects such as basketball and volleyball league and the never-ending contest of poster and slogan making, spoken word poetry and TikTok challenges.
"...typical and predictable. Paulit-ulit lang siya (projects of SK) na more on amusement," respondent A stated.
"There is nothing special about doing those stuff (pageants, tournaments and talent shows) since it does not involve holistic development among the youth. If I will give them a score for project purpose or significance I will give them 2 out of 5," respondent B said.
Recent General Assembly conducted by SK Lingunan.
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
With these statements, the official mentioned that she is not against those young people who are expressing dissatisfaction and annoyance to their council because it is their liberty to do it. However, she also stated that the youth needs to do their part to cooperate with them to achieve a proper communication with this matter because there's lack of youth involvement in every assembly that they're doing. With that, she said that the council cannot know the opinions and suggestions of the youth about their action because there’s only a minimal count of people attending in every assembly they’re doing.
SK Lingunan set-up in a Virtual Assembly, 2021.
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
General Assembly conducted by SK Lingunan last 2019.
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
For proof, I looked at the FaceBook page of the SK Council, the general assembly being conducted last 2019 was only attended by a few members of the youth. Now, the recent general assembly that the council managed was only done virtually due to this pandemic. With that, the only interaction they can get was only based on the reactions and comments of the people who are watching the live.
"They can go house to house just like what they usually do when it's campaign period (hehe pun intended). Majority of my fellow youth residing in Lingunan are not aware of their projects, they only posted it through social media. Again, SK officials should reach out for their people, give them encouragement to engage with community services/projects," respondent B said.
In connection to what respondent B stated, the council should at least consider those marginalized who have no access to the internet. If the council are just listening to those people who have access online, what about others? That is why the miscommunication between the SK Council and the youth is clearly seen in this aspect because the council itself cannot hear the sentiments of those underprivileged about their actions as officials.
Here, you cannot say and generalize that the youth has a lack of involvement when it comes to cooperation because there are people that are not included in the given platform provided by the council. Nonetheless and at the end of the day, officials own the final decision if they will push through a project or not. In addition, it is their job to think and give people relevant programs concerning mental health because currently, the youth assume that these kinds of programs are the least concern of the council to be held in the community.
Poster Making Contest conducted by SK Lingunan.
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
Moving on, I asked the opinion of the official about mental health awareness. She admitted that mental health awareness programs should really be included in community initiatives because everyone can suffer from depression and anxiety.
"The reason why we should conduct this kind of program ay para ma educate ang lahat how important mental health is," she said.
In connection with what she stated, she mentioned that there was a time wherein they held a poster making contest for the youth and their theme focuses on how important mental health awareness is. The official gave this kind of contest as an example of their some projects regarding mental health but respondent A and B strongly affirm that this kind of activity is not enough to raise awareness about it because it cannot directly help the young ones. Furthermore, this competition includes a reaction-based criteria wherein the work of every contestant is being posted over social media. And as for the perspective of the respondents, this kind of criteria make a less effective approach to know the winner.
Criteria of Poster Making Contest, SK Lingunan.
(Photo Courtesy: SK Lingunan FaceBook Page)
Both respondents are asking for a better response in the said issue. They believed that the council needed to think deeper to provide better solutions for the problem. They highlighted that the council should consider giving free consultations, seminar,
"Yes, the purpose is there but the way or the method of delivering the project regarding mental health awareness is something they should think more," respondent B said.
Free consultation with guidance counselors and seminars about mental health awareness are the plans that the respondents want for the council to do. However, the official said that the council needs to have enough funds first to facilitate the project. Since the topic of mental health is a sensitive one, the official pointed out that they need to invite professionals to make the project possible.
Above all, we can infer that the council is lacking the initiative and intelligent mind to form helpful and unique programs for the youth. They are not giving their best to provide and serve the people, especially the marginalized. Not having enough funds is not a sufficient reason for not conducting projects about mental health. There’s a lot of organizations that are offering free services and consultation. It is just a matter of productive mind and action to solve the given issue because if the council is really concerned and prioritizes programs about the mental health of the youth, they can make everything possible since they already have the power to do it.
References:
World Health Organization. (2021). Adolescent mental health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
National Youth Commission. (n.d). Republic Act 8044. Retrieved from https://nyc.gov.ph/republic-act-8044/
UNEVOC (n.d). Youth. Retrieved from https://unevoc.unesco.org/home/TVETipedia+Glossary/filt=all/id=9
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