Mental Health counselling for Adolescents in India

The given reporting period witnessed teachers training workshop for two schools in the area of Bapunagar in east Ahmedabad, the details of which are enumerated below.

Teachers training program for care of the adolescents:

The teachers training workshop was conducted with 22 teachers of two different schools wherein the mental health awareness programmes were conducted. The objectives of the workshop were as follows:

a) To create awareness of mental health

b) To sensitize teachers to the psychological needs of the adolescent students to help them through their problems.

c) To provide possible primary psychological help in all aspects like academic, emotional, family issues etc.

In order to fulfil these objectives, an understanding of certain concepts was imparted based on psychological grounds like importance of mental health, knowing the developmental stages of the adolescent age and providing them knowledge of life skills trainings, knowledge of academic problems like learning difficulties and its remedial teaching, knowing the basic counselling skills to manage with other psychological issues etc.

The teachers considered the training necessary and so each of them were very attentive during the training. They had some information on mental health and welcomed the inputs made by the psychologist. Senior teachers from different schools took active interest and participated enthusiastically. The training provided an opportunity for them to mingle with others in the same profession working in the same area.

A very positive feedback was given by the teachers showing their interest and willingness to seek guidance in future in the other related areas like imparting knowledge on development of child psychology, family counselling etc. 

MONITORING

Shreeji Higher Secondary School

Monitoring visits were done in the schools from where teachers had come for training. The principal said that the teachers had liked the training. They gained clear understanding of the behaviour of the adolescents. Therefore they are now interested in their work. Their mutual relationship appears to have improved.

The atmosphere in the school has become more positive. The teachers are found interacting with one another. It appeared that students-teachers relationship has become more congenial.

The teachers approach students with sincerity so it appeared lively. The teachers said that they had become friendly with students and were providing guidance to them.

We were asked to continue with such trainings. Since the school was busy with exams, much attention could not be paid to counselling. But they proposed to provide counselling thereafter.

In short, AWAG received a positive response from Shreeji High School.

Axay Higher Secondary School

The principal expressed his pleasure and said that the teachers found the training good and they had learned a lot during training. They had learned a lot during training. They said that it was going to be very useful in their profession.

The teachers said that they were advising students. One teacher said that he was guiding them in time management which proved useful to them.

The teachers said that such trainings must be done regularly for enhanced effectiveness.