Mental health symposium to help township youth tackle their everyday challenges

A mental health symposium in Atteridgeville will be taking place on February 9 to help local youth tackle everyday challenges.

The announcement was made during an information session held recently at Mlambo Hall in Saulsville attended by partners and a panel of medical practitioners that led a dialogue on the state of mental health in township youth.

The symposium has been designed for those diagnosed with mental health issues or who may be at high risk.

It will be held at Nkomo Village on the upper floor above Steers.

“We want to help resuscitate the youth through our programmes that can help ignite the life back into our youth and educate them more about the disorders they have been diagnosed with and those at high risk as well,” said Khopotso Seopela, CEO of the local NPO, K Productions.

Seopela founded K Productions in 2018 by to create programmes for the youth through avenues such as theatre, dance and other programmes within the sports and recreation space.

It also offers mentorship and skill transfer programmes, as well as work readiness programmes for youth who have recently left school and are unable to proceed with their studies.

“As much as it is a resuscitation centre, it is also a prevention centre. We want to make sure we don’t get more of our youth tapping into the high risks associated with being diagnosed with a mental health disorder.”

The symposium looks to offer programmes in self-identity, self-awareness and self-development.

Seopela said enhancing these attributes will ensure that the youth is less likely to be a victim of peer pressure.

“Most of them don’t know who they are, so they just want to ride each other’s cloud. Once they discover who they are, we position them into programmes per their strengths,” he said.

General sessions around self-esteem, self-awareness, and anger management are scheduled to take place once a week for the next two months, where participants will be placed in further programmes according to their specific needs.

The NPO symposium will work closely with its partners in the mental health space, including nurses, psychiatrists, mentors, life coaches and occupational therapists.

“Post-Covid, it’s been quite hectic for the young people regarding the high unemployment, most of them are loitering in the streets. Working with the health department has brought to our attention that most of our young people battle with identity issues that lead to mental health issues,” Seopela said.

One of the panellists, Nana Mthimkhulu, an author and arts practitioner, said that without a support system, the youth cannot succeed.

“The youth needs to be occupied, the youth needs to do things. For instance, in the past, in Atteridgeville and Saulsville we used to have little music groups, drama groups, and educational groups. But as the time changes, we as the community must follow suit and make sure we support the community.”

Mthimkhulu said the avenues for the youth to keep occupied are few and result in them becoming interested in nefarious things instead of constructive ones.

Atteridgeville youth Priscilla Sedibana said she believes this will help young people who are entering adult life and make the journey easier.

“Having a mental health issue is not the end of the world, it can be treated and it doesn’t have to be chronic. Something could be happening personally at a moment in time and when you go through those challenges, you should know there’s this place where you can go and talk to someone,” Sedibana said.

“I have a chronic issue that I have been dealing with since 2017 and I didn’t have the support at the time. But didn’t come forward with it, I just kept it to myself. Now that I know it’s okay to come forward and talk and ask for help, it’s so much better and easier.

“It’s going to help people discover their talents and uplift [them], I’m elated because we don’t get such things in Atteridgeville,” said Sedibana.

Psychologist Sharon Shirinda said the symposium will help the community with the mental health crisis it faces.

“This is one of the major problems in this country and programmes like these normalise the conversation, so the stigma can be broken. We have a lot of mental health issues affecting young people because of the societal issues we face such as unemployment,” Shrinda said.

Shrinda added that these mental issues may lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drug use, unprotected sex and even crime.

“I think it will also help young people with adjustment issues. Whether it would be with the current economic state of the country, failed dreams and hopes after leaving varsity or school, it will help give the necessary support to help combat a lot of common issues.”

The symposium will be hosted by K Productions in collaboration with the provincial department of health and education, Tshwane metro, Boxer, Pheli the Musical, Safari Investments and Nkomo Villiage, as well as local clinics in Atteridgeville and Saulsville.

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