Mental Health Awareness

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS)

Breaking the Silence, Supporting Emotional Well-being and Resilience

GREDO is currently running an MHPSS program using 5 pillar approach, a recreation-based approach designed to bring children together, relieve stress and tension, and help them process the trauma they have experienced. This program targets at-risk youth (between 12 and 25 years) in conflict settings, generally Children formerly associated with armed forces and groups, Gang group members, those in conflict with the law, street children, those with disabilities, and adolescents at risk of and survivors of gender-based violence.

This program is aimed at promoting psychosocial wellbeing and development of competencies through child protection and nonformal education programs, aimed at helping adolescents better cope with challenges, build their self-esteem, and protect themselves and others by expressing their views without violence or aggression and promoting social cohesion in their communities.

Five Pillars of wellbeing

Creation of safe spaces

This is aimed at creating an enabling learning environment for positive mental health and well-being, for youth and adolescents. 4 centers have been established in Juba and Pibor, and equipped with different resources for art (music, dance, drama, drawing etc.) and sports (football, volleyball, basketball, skating, rugby etc.). These are spaces where our participants feel accepted, understood, and supported allow them to relax, connect with others, and practice and master challenging new skills while having fun!

Caring connections

coaches/inspirators/mentors have been trained on actionable and context adaptable MHPSS 5 pillar approach, and attached to the centers. The coaches are meant to stand in the gap, especially during childhood and adolescence stages, where the brains and identities are rapidly forming and changing in response to what’s happening, by improving the well-being, mental health, resilience, and positive functioning among the youth and adolescents.

Play and fun and challenging new tasks

The participants are introduced to new and challenging tasks, with the aim of boosting self-esteem, confidence, and resilience. To help them feel relaxed, calm and free, the participants are engaged in play, sport and recreation-based activities that tend to shift their focus away from things that worry or frustrate them.

Coping and self-regulation skills

Participants are helped to learn and master self-regulation skills, and provided with an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings, to set and work towards shared goals, and to practice and master intentional self-regulation behaviors/techniques they can use at and away from the program.  Our ability to manage our thoughts and feelings, and work towards the goals we set) is an essential part of child and adolescent development. When we play, we unconsciously manage our thoughts and feelings and work towards goals.

Connection to other support networks

Play, recreation and sport-based programs allow participants and coaches to form meaningful relationships. As coaches get to know the participants in their programs better, they can connect participants with more services in their community. These might be other sport or recreation clubs, academic support programs, or social support services.

Coping and self-regulation skills

Participants are helped to learn and master self-regulation skills, and provided with an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings, to set and work towards shared goals, and to practice and master intentional self-regulation behaviors/techniques they can use at and away from the program.  Our ability to manage our thoughts and feelings, and work towards the goals we set) is an essential part of child and adolescent development. When we play, we unconsciously manage our thoughts and feelings and work towards goals.