The Purpose of the Project
The Mental Health component of your project is fundamentally in service to the aims of Youth Champs 4 Mental Health. This entire aspect of the project is about increasing awareness surrounding Mental Health through cross-cultural discussion.
Overview of the aims for Youth Champs:
Misconceptions and misinformation can promote fear and shame associated with mental illness. This stigma can cause young people to lack help in seeking the support they need, or lead to negative coping mechanisms when dealing with stress. In Fiji today there remains just one psychiatric facility and just 3 doctors with postgraduate mental health training. Meanwhile, suicide rates in Fiji are concerning and continuing to rise.
Your Project
Through discussions led by members of Youth Champs 4 Mental Health, you will best discussing aspects of Mental Health and sharing understandings of it, exploring the subject together.
The purpose of these sessions is to stimulate grassroots discussions on a topic that is relevant and important to all young people today, often not regularly openly discussed in community settings. Their workshops in collaboration with Think Pacific are a fantastic opportunity to facilitate an opportunity that is unique and exciting, through cultural exchange allowing for the development of all involved. No one joining needs to be an expert… positive participation is all we ask for to ensure tangible outcomes for all involved.
The initiative also comes with the overriding purpose of encouraging attributes and awareness amongst young people in rural areas of Fiji, the leaders of tomorrow, where future change is made real in the next generation.
Key Focus Areas:
- Advocacy Workshops
Each day, there will be a thematic focus and together with your team and youth group you shall support activities to promote learning, understanding and long-term action to promote aspects of positive mental health.
2. Healthy Habits
The project aims to help promote healthy habits within the communities and support advice from our government partners, including distributing messages about nutrition, diet, smoking, drugs and NCD awareness. We work alongside Fiji’s National Wellness Centre and facilitate the Towards a Health Fiji Islands Initiative to link physical health benefits to mental health promotion by distributing government information.
3. Peer to Peer Support
You will assist in implementing strategies from Pacific charities, we create enabling spaces where young people feel able to talk about problems, open up and discuss their mental well being without judgement. Encourage peer-to-peer discussions and empower youths to be role models and support each other and their younger siblings in facilitating conversations and spreading positive messages.
4. Care Strategies
Establish and demonstrate self-care and well-being activities within rural villages. This may include organising community walks, women’s aerobics, dance, music, art, drama, swimming, nature walks, hiking, family time, journal writing, blogs or community talks. These are activities that can be replicated and innovated by Fijian Youths.
5. Physical Activity
The benefits of sport and physical activity on our mental health are endless: improved mood, decreased chance of depression and anxiety, and a better and more balanced lifestyle. Any kind of physical activity can boost mental wellbeing – unleash your passion and help Fijian youths develop basic sports skills so they can run community, youth and children’s sports clubs long term.
6. Leadership
Engage in team building and group challenges in areas of communication, decision making, self-leadership, time management, presentation skills, positive mindset and empathy which encompass effective leadership cross-culturally, advancing employability skills and boosting confidence.