Ilocos norte: 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 crises. Ilocos Norte youth development officer Willie Jake Sib-at has announced that 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 sessions for SK officials across all barangays in the province.
According to Philippines News Agency, to date, 250 out of the 559 SK officials have completed the training and are now better equipped with skills to effectively respond to mental health crises. Five batches from the towns of Nueva Era, Banna, Marcos, Dingras, Solsona, Badoc, Pinili, Paoay, Currimao, and Bacarra participated in the training sessions during September. An additional six batches are scheduled for training from October 15 to 21 in Laoag, Piddig, Carasi, Vintar, Pasuquin, Batac, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Burgos, and Dumalneg.
This initiative is part of the Mental Health Month celebration in Ilocos Norte, where a series of activities promoting health and wellness have been organized. These activities include the establishment of a recreational booth, exhibits, and informative sessions with licensed psychometricians and psychologists. Topics for discussion include mental health in a productivity-obsessed culture and digital stress trends among youth, scheduled for October 10 and 11 at SM City Laoag.
Furthermore, there will 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 expressed hope that more Ilokano youth volunteers will be inspired to contribute to crisis management efforts in the province. The aim is to promote hope, understanding, and support among fellow youth and the wider community.
