Mental health

Sikelela Rollom, is a 21-year-old youth reporter with Nkqubela FM in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape province UNICEF- supported mental health community radio dialogues. I have always been this loud, bubbly, jovial, kind, and outspoken young girl. I loved being around a crowd of people and making new friends. Until my world took a sudden shift after the…

For Musa Kuzwayo, high school was a constant struggle to fit in – until he became a community radio youth reporter at Alex FM. Working on the UNICEF-supported mental health project, he found a platform where he could express himself, and help others to do the same. In the quiet corners of our minds, battles are waged daily, unseen by the world.  …

Being bullied at school can have a lasting, negative effect on a learner’s life. Youth reporter Sibusisiwe Khosa, from Emalahleni FM in Mpumalanga participated in the UNICEF-supported mental health dialogues and speaks out about her experience of bullying, and how she overcame its negative impact. My name is Sibusisiwe Khoza and I have suffered a…

In the face of their own mental health challenges, Eleanor, a journalist, and Robin, a major crimes detective, always knew parenting wouldn't be easy.  Eleanor, diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, has been living with these conditions since childhood. Meanwhile, Robin experiences Post-Traumatic Stress…, The power of parenting , Every child deserves to grow up in a loving, nurturing and safe environment.  But providing nurturing care takes time and resources – things that many parents and caregivers don’t have.   UNICEF believes every parent and caregiver should receive the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life. Caregivers who receive…

In every area I have visited people asked for a second visit: they say being part of the awareness and community dialogues on Mental Health is therapeutic. “I grew up in a society, where men are perceived as strong according to our cultural belief, and under a popular phrase “Men do not cry” which also promotes, patriarchy. It has not been easy to…

To me, mental health represents the ongoing journey of keeping your head above water. This journey is one towards personal growth, fulfillment and mental strength. The challenges of everyday life cannot merely be escaped, and for this reason, one needs to equip themself with the necessary tools to survive these obstacles that come in the form of…

PRETORIA, 09 October 2023 – Some 60 per cent of children and youth felt they needed mental health support over the past year, according to the latest UNICEF South Africa U-Report poll. The findings show a 15 per cent reduction from a similar poll last year but little change among the 15-24-year-old age group, of whom 70 per cent still needed help…

PRETORIA, 30 May 2023: The ‘Phezulu: Looking Up’ podcast series launched today by UNICEF South Africa tells the stories of the impact of the COVID-19 years on children and young people and how,with the right support and opportunities, children and young people are determined to build a safer, fairer and better post pandemic South Africa.   The…

Every child has the right to grow up in a loving, nurturing and safe environment, with supportive relationships and access to quality mental health and psychosocial support., Unfortunately this is not the case for many children and young people in South Africa. Children and adolescents face numerous challenges – including individual, social, and environmental factors – that impact their mental wellbeing. Not feeling safe, exposure to high levels of community violence, child maltreatment and gender-based violence are…, Seeking help, The first step and sometimes we need a little encouragement to take it. Being aware of when you need support and knowing where to go for help is the first step. UNICEF – with support from META – ran a 2023 mental health campaign on Facebook that reached more than 17,5 million people in South Africa with coping tips and the counselling service…, Shifting the narrative, Supporting young people to lead the mental health conversation. With our partner  Radio Workshop  we trained 117 youth reporters across nine sites on radio fundamentals and mental health. Youth reporters are leading the mental health conversation through live radio shows and outreach. A total of 184 radio shows have been produced exploring a wide…, Understanding, Getting to grips with the concept of mental health and where to access reliable information and support., Covered • Clean • Caring, The Covered, Clean and Caring  (3Cs) programme – initially designed to stop the spread of COVID-19 – has been updated with mental health resources and training materials for hosting dialogues about mental health. For educators and learners across 151 schools and orphans and vulnerable children centres, the Caring module introduced an “entirely new…, U-Report mental health chatbot, U-Report is a free platform for youth participation and is designed to address issues that young people care about. Providing information in response to a range of issues that young people have raised, including mental health, U-Report has created an easy-to-use chatbot., Having the conversation, Helping schools and communities to talk about mental health, what it is, and what parents and caregivers can do to support the young people in their lives., Check • Connect • Care, This programme focused on a mental health project with the school community in the Eastern Cape. The  Check, Connect and Care   materials were used to train 39 facilitators from 24 schools and helped parents, caregivers and community members to understand more about the mental health difficulties that their children experience, and what they can…, Get help now, Want to know more about mental health? Follow the links below to access the U-report Mental Health chatbot: Whatsapp Telegram   OR  On WhatsApp/Telegram: Save the U-Report number +27 83 283 8313 as U-Report SA, send the keyword INFO and follow the prompts to the mental health chat bot. Speak to a counsellor in South Africa Childline: 116 Suicide…

UNICEF’S  Covered, Clean and Caring COVID-19 Prevention Programme  is a package of materials created to engage learners, teachers, caretakers and the surrounding community. COVID-19 has had a severe impact on youth mental health. The pandemic’s disruption of young people’s routines, education, recreation, as well as concern for family income and…

Infectious diseases are a reality, and we all have a role to play to keep ourselves and others safe.  These updated interactive resources are designed for COVID-19 Risk Communication and Community Engagement in Schools and Orphan and Vulnerable Child Centres in South Africa, and can also be used at home and in your community. The resources provide…

Youth reporters identified mental health as one of the top three topics that they wanted to learn more about and raise awareness about. The mental health and wellness guides is an introduction to mental health and provides techniques for coping as well as radio production guidance for reporters who want to host their own mental health shows. Guide…