Mental Health Awareness Campaign to Expand among Youth in 2025
Basseterre, St. Kitts
Throughout the upcoming year 2025, the Department of Youth Empowerment will look to expand its mental health awareness campaign among the nation’s youth, building on the momentum of Youth Month 2024, which was observed under the theme “Mental Health Matters for Youth Development and Sustainability.”
Minister of State Phillip Reflects on Mental Health Awareness
During her contribution to the 2025 Budget Debate on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Minister of State for Youth Empowerment, Senator the Honourable Isalean Phillip, reflected on the month-long celebration and its broad-based focus on prioritizing one’s mental health. She noted that the issue of mental health is one that young people themselves are now very interested in.
“It’s an area that they bring up in conversations, and I think that we should be concerned because they are concerned about it,” Minister of State Phillip said.
Trauma and Mental Health Concerns among Youth
The minister of state raised the alarm at the number of young people in St. Kitts and Nevis who are traumatised, angry, and depressed about their life circumstances. Others are anxious about their future, their independence, and their own ability to generate money.
Growing Up in an Unstable World
In addition, Senator Phillip said today’s youth are growing up in an increasingly unstable and confusing world filled with international conflicts, instability, rising prices, and violence and crime.
Fostering Positive Attributes
“Our young people are not isolated, they know what’s happening and they are also experiencing their own bouts of depression, their own bouts of anxiety, their own fears, they are also angry … but despite all the challenges they face we do have some very positive young people who are being role models, who are taking on leadership roles and who are doing great things,” said Minister of State Phillip, while underscoring her ministry’s commitment to fostering these positive attributes.
Department of Probation and Child Protection Services
The minister of state presented some staggering statistics from the Department of Probation and Child Protection Services up to the third quarter of 2024, that showed a total of one hundred and seventy-seven (177) cases of issues surrounding child protection. These issues include neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, inappropriate touching, sexual harassment, unlawful carnal knowledge, and suicide ideation, among others.
Call for an All-of-Society Approach
In light of this troubling trend, Minister Phillip called for an all-of-society approach to addressing these issues and protecting the nation’s youth.
Conclusion
Minister of State Phillip assured that her ministry will continue to do its part to actively and positively engage the nation’s youth in meaningful activities throughout the upcoming year.
FAQs
- What is the goal of the Department of Youth Empowerment’s mental health awareness campaign?
- To expand mental health awareness among the nation’s youth and build on the momentum of Youth Month 2024.
- What is the theme of the upcoming campaign?
- "Mental Health Matters for Youth Development and Sustainability"
- What are some of the issues surrounding child protection?
- Neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, inappropriate touching, sexual harassment, unlawful carnal knowledge, and suicide ideation, among others.
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