Youths are facing a lack of mental health support and a safe environment to seek help in schools. Friends and peer supporters also suffer from emotional burnout trying to help their peers.
How might we promote a culture of empathy among youths and create a safe environment amongst themselves?
The Catalyst aims to empower and connect youth across diverse backgrounds to become active changemakers within the mental health landscape. Through building a collaborative ecosystem, they wish to become the hub for youths and partners to create a big change within the mental health scene.
They aim to reach out to youth in institutes of higher learning, ITEs, and secondary schools through advertisements, music videos, and videos with local media providers like Channel NewsAsia.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Exploring what mental health means to different people and identifying culture specific interventions
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Review different perspectives on mental health -- it is a heterogeneous concept with some internal contradictions and there is value in looking critically at what it means to different people.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
To inspire more thought leaders
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
More mindfulness activities in schools!
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
to be equipped to know how to talk to people who are possibly going through tough times
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
hands on experiences, to be involved in helping make the music videos
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Just encouraging my friends around me on this.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Mental Health Challenge.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
To be a support for those who need a listening ear
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Mental health of caregivers
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Support group
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Connecting youths with support groups or individuals who have previously faced mental health issues or are recovering from mental health issues to know they are not alone in this.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Be able to raise problems faced by minorities
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Have a group/team to voice opinions on the government sector/conferences
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Speak about my experiences anonymously
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Anything
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
I would really love to be a part of a community which supports people who might need help with their mental health.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Maybe you guys could form smaller communities in schools and colleges where people can approach in order to receive support.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Able to share my personal experience or tips
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
CNA insider, a series of video for different age group tackling different issues.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Ensure that I take care of myself and don\'t add to the numbers
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
I am not really sure what is the focus based on the project, but I\'ll just suggest social activities like group outings.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
As a peer support to people who might need help.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Projects that involves Dina and Creative activities that relieves stress and advocate abt mental well-being
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Being a good friend
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Move beyond raising awareness to areas of more tangible impact
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
I wish to acquire more knowledge on how to deal with anxiety attacks to help my fellow peers and myself
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Partnering with younger youth to impact them from a younger age.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
NA
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Focus group
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
To be skilled up to conduct mental health first aid courses so that I can conduct such courses for interested parties at my workplace, or to just be equipped with the skills needed to support others.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Perhaps, it would be nice to have a human library concept where people can come and share their stories with others/change makers for a more real, raw and impactful experience.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
I wish to know more about how to deal with mental health issues if my loved ones is met with a serious mental illness and how I can help them without feeling burn out myself as I also have learning, work, social events to deal with and it is also taking up a lot of my time.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
A walk into the thoughts of mental health patients. Real life interview with patients, psychiatrist and their treatment journey and how their caregivers cope with the issue.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Yes i do. It hurts to see that a lot of teens are suffering/stressed due to specific reasons like school work or making friends. I want to make their life better for them.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Maybe you guys can focus more on ways to improve bad habits.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
A participant as I am mentally ill myself. I could share tips and challenges I am facing too.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
I wish there were more awareness projects to destigmatise mental health.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
I would be willing to lend a listening ear and further learn about how to help those who are also facing their own mental health issues.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
I think with many platforms already available online and many projects also striving to develop a safe space for healthy discussion among peers, it would be great to somehow bring in school\'s management and workplace employers to empathise with the problems faced at the ground level.
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
as a volunteer
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
peer support and raising awareness about mental health issues!
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
By being a listener
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Projects targetting depression
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
I would like to help a bit more with others and empathise with them so they don\'t know they\'re not alone.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
projects that help raise empathy in places other than school? like specific work places too? e.x. increase empathy for teachers, but students learn abt it?
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
By becoming a peer supporter.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Peer Supporter Workshops
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Mentoring youths.
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Volunteer work for youths would be a good way to engage youths because they need to find a purpose in life as well as some way to occupy their time
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
To improve mental well-being of people
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Self awareness workshops
In response to "Would you be interested in effecting change on the mental health landscape?"
Yes
In response to "How do you wish to be involved in the mental health landscape?"
Contribute to active listening in forums on mental health
In response to "What kind of projects do you wish for The Catalyst to embark on?"
Youth community outreach projects.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
The notion of cultivating active changemakers within the mental health landscape is appealing because it does not purport to know what the \"right\" answer is and does not prescribe what people \"should\" do. There is value in reinforcing this point in the advertisements, music videos, and videos planned.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
you could possibly work with other forms of media, not just CNA etc. reach out to mothership/youtube channels. youths nowadays don’t watch mainstream media anymore, CNA etc are things of the past for them. and CNA is quite controlled too by Government, a lot of topics are sensitive and you might not be able to fully talk about everything through that platform.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Could just start a tik tok challenge for people to improve their mental health - just to raise awareness.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
It’s a good initiative to promote mental well-being and support in this day and age. Another aspect to consider could be the mental health of caregivers, especially in view of an ageing population in Singapore. I’m sure this group can benefit greatly from your project too.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
The above mentioned methods such as talks, advertisements etc are often not useful methods to make a difference. You will have to look at the root cause of the issue I.e. public stigma and openness to mental wellness. Youths might not seek help even though they are struggling with mental wellness because they are not aware that they’re struggling or even due to the stigma surrounding mental health. They may fear of being isolated, judged and made fun of by their peers if they voice out their issues. Especially given we are living in a society that looks up to perfection, there is an added element of stress that youths might face trying to live up to the expectations of others or themselves. It should be shown through actions, be it by people who previously struggled with mental health issues or are recovering from mental health issues, that this is not a lonely journey, and there are ways to step out of it with the right support. Encouragement and small actions do matter. Youths need to know that they are not alone in this journey, and it’s normal to face issues at times, but there will always be a resolution and bad times won’t persist forever.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Have a more structured plan / roadmap / milestones to achieve. What will the org structure be like?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Very generic goals, I don\'t know what your project is trying to do concretely
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I am really Glad that you guys are targeting the prime targets. Students are suffering from mental health problems now more than ever. One issue that revolves around this issue is the misunderstanding students ( especially younger ones) have. A lot of students think that seeking help from school Counsellors are for misbehaving students or people with serious issues. However, they are not aware of the fact that school Counsellors are like Therapists who would listen to students and help them with any issues regarding their mental well-being. It would be great if you guys look more into this and find ways to spread the right ideology behind seeking help.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Survey outreach and share survey results. Help more people to understand that it is a normal to go through some kind of emotion at times and what are the usual triggers.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I feel that there is a bit of gap between \"active changemakers\" and \"mental health support\". While I love that you are empowering youths to come together to make a change, how likely is this effort going to resolve the root cause of the issues faced by individuals within the mental health landscape?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I believe that targeting the schools Is a great idea. Maybe you guys could think about forming smaller communities within schools where people can go to to share their concerns in a safe and secure environment
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
There are many efforts to raise awareness, and in some ways we have made lots of progress; a new initiative has to add value to current effort, rather than reinvent the wheel .Think about how you will add value to the landscape; a clearer problem statement might be helpful in this regard!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Perhaps since TikTok is all the rage nowadays, you could start a mental wellness campaign on TikTok to better reach your target audience
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
While the project/idea to build up the pool of wellness ambassadors (of sorts) amongst youths is a good idea, I find it a little challenging to understand how the team proposes going about doing so beyond promoting the ideas to the youths in school through advertisements, etc. Would there be a formalised training programme through Silver Ribbon’s Mental Health First Aid programme for them? Would they be assigned a mentor to guide them? Would there be activities to support them if they become emotionally fatigued in their efforts to be a changemaker for their peers? It would be good if more information on these were shared. Empathy building through community is good. However, it would be good to have a detailed programme on the skills development of this pool for greater impact and effectiveness, and to prevent it from becoming ‘just another’ friendship group.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
How to empower youth to build stronger resilience towards protecting their mental health by building a stronger mind. How to build a community that protect individuals rather than cause hurt to others which can lead them to depression state of mind. E.g unhealthy competition to succeed, unkind, belittling words from peers/adults, how to avoid emotional manipulation. How can teachers, parents, role models help by fostering a kind and genuine community to help each other grow into strong individuals.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I believe there are loads for Singapore to change to better the mental health landscape. I hope there are more initiatives to destigmatise and debunk myths surrounding mental health in Singapore.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I like how the team explores the use of media to raise awareness about mental health issues and mental health support! Perhaps the team can explore the use of popular media that youths might use often such as TikTok and Instagram and create media content that is suitable for such platforms! :)
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Work with local influencers like jianhao and naomi neo who can be more relatable to teens suffering mental illnesses.the message carried across will then be more impactful
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
maybe you can help with the kids reaching their goals/resolutions too!! so like guide them in getting better grades / more healthy body / etc.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
You guys are on the right track! Keep it up :)
