A total of 559 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from the 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte have been given the opportunity to enrich themselves with the necessary skills to help their fellow youth in dealing with mental health crisis.
Ilocos Norte youth development officer Willie Jake Sib-at on Thursday said psychological first aiders from the provincial government’s “Speak Up, I’m Here” Mental Health Movement have been facilitating a series of psychological first aid training to SK officials in all barangays of the province.
“To date, a total of 250 out of the 559 SK officials were done with the training and they are now better equipped with skills to effectively respond to mental health crises,” Sib-at told the Philippine News Agency.
Five batches from the towns of Nueva Era, Banna, Marcos, Dingras, Solsona, Badoc, Pinili, Paoay, Currimao, and Bacarra underwent training in September, while six more batches will undergo training from Oct. 15 to 21 in Laoag, Piddig, Carasi, Vintar, Pasuquin, Batac, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Burgos, and Dumalneg.
The initiative is part of the Mental Health Month celebration in Ilocos Norte where a series of activities promoting health and wellness have been prepared.
The activities include the establishment of recreational booth and exhibits and informative sessions with licensed psychometricians and psychologists to discuss topics on mental health in a productivity-obsessed culture, as well as the digital stress trends among youth. This will be held on Oct. 10 and 11 at SM City Laoag.
There will also be art sessions with orphans and older persons at the Bahay Pag-asa in Laoag and the Shekinah Homes in Dingras town.
By fostering conversations and skills development that focus on mental health and suicide prevention, Sib-at said they are hoping that more Ilokano youth volunteers will be inspired to contribute to crisis management efforts in the province by promoting hope, understanding and support to fellow youth and the wider community. (PNA)