Ashgabat, 25 June – Today completes the six weeks of intensive learning of “Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for Children and Caregivers in Adversity”, a global course, launched by UNICEF. With the increased demand in professional help, this training enables the frontline workers from different fields to provide mental health and well-being support to children and caregivers, including in cases of gender-based violence (GBV).
In Turkmenistan, over 200 specialists took part in this training. These included social workers, schoolteachers, specialists from rehabilitation centers, family doctors, students and teachers of psychology and social sciences from Magtymguly State University and Seydi Pedagogical Institute, mid-level decision makers from the Ministries of Labor and Social Protection, Education, and Health and Medical Industry, as well as representatives from education, health, and social protection departments in the local governments of all five regions. Community frontline workers and members of various NGOs also attended.
The course, beneficial for both emergency and regular situations, was structured into six weekly modules. The modules covered essential topics such as the basic concepts and importance of mental health support, child development and psychosocial wellbeing, supporting caregivers, community-based mental health and psychosocial support, self-care for frontline workers, and the intersection of gender-based violence (GBV) and MHPSS.
Participants learned practical skills like identifying and addressing mental health needs, providing emotional support, and starting community-based mental health programs. The GBV module helped ensure that they obtained additional competencies to strengthen their understanding of gender sensitive support services in their communities.
Participants noted that thanks to the training they were able to get valuable and practical tools for providing psycho-social support in day-to-day work. Some also mentioned that having the sessions once a week was very practical – they were able to apply the new techniques and tools in their work until the next session and come back to the next sessions with personal and professional reflection. It was also valuable that many participants left the training with understanding that psychosocial support is a tool for ensuring strong mental health. How it is important to nurture cognitive, social, and spiritual aspects of development in children and adolescents.
This cohort of the global course united professionals from Turkmenistan with their peers in Kazakhstan, creating a valuable opportunity to share ideas, knowledge, and best practices.
The goal of this initiative is to make sure children and caregivers get the mental health support they need, creating a strong and supportive community. ///nCa, 25 June 2024 (in cooperation with UNICEF Turkmenistan)