Over the last five years, psychology students like me from the state post-secondary school Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary, have come together to form a group known as OOPS: Organisation Of Psychology Students. The group’s aim is to bring young people from the school together to help them interact with each other, form new friendships, increase their knowledge of psychology in an informal setting and increase awareness of mental health. However, OOPS believes that it can contribute more than it is already doing to help adolescents.
Over the years, OOPS has organised various activities and events, such as scavenger hunts and talks about disorders like schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder, among others. We believe that mental health awareness helps people understand the difficulties of mental health issues, educates them by obliterating myths and most importantly, makes students aware that supporting and listening to each other is crucial. Adolescence is a critical period in life when young people start to discover who they are and what they want to do, so that it is only natural that they occasionally have to face certain dilemmas or problems along the way. Research shows that many disorders or mental health issues start to develop at this age, which, if not treated, usually persist and become worse over the years. In fact, WHO estimates that one in four people will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their life.
OOPS wants to change this, starting with our school, which has always fostered a strong sense of pastoral care. OOPS wants to help students who develop mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, and it would also like to help students who are finding it hard to cope with relatives or friends who might be suffering from mental health problems. Our dream is to launch a school-based mental health awareness campaign and pioneer a walk-in clinic with a psychologist available who will offer free-of-charge psychological services to students.
The aim of this project, although ambitious, is to change how young people view mental health. This will be accomplished by reducing the stigma attached to mental health by providing correct information and promoting the importance of maintaining good mental health. It also aims to change how youths tackle their mental health issues because we intend to start a dialogue in which everyone is encouraged to participate, discuss their experiences and, if need be, seek help and support. This project will also help in the early detection of mental health disorders, which will prevent young people from developing problems that are more serious. As a result, we will have more psychologically healthy, responsible and productive citizens.
OOPS has a very vivid vision for the future. We are determined to work hard to make this project a reality, as we truly want to have a positive impact on our society by instigating change.
We are very excited to be among the final 15 projects shortlisted for the Social Impact Awards 2017, organised by The Gasan Foundation and the Inspirasia Foundation. This has further motivated us to be more determined to see this project through.
If you wish to learn more about our project or think you can support us in any way, visit our Facebook page OOPS – Organisation of Psychology Students –GCHSS.
Matthew Cilia
OOPS – Organisation of Psychology Students –GCHSS