Johannesburg - Mental Health is a serious challenge globally. Many people don't even know they suffer from a mental disorder and those that do, feel like they have nowhere to turn.

Mental illness can manifest in different ways. The most notable is depression which leads to suicide but bullying and violent outbursts are also signs of a mental health issue.

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) says its helplines has received more than 466 400 calls since last year January, with one in every five calls being a suicide related. The organisation gets about 1 800 – 2 200 calls per day.

That demonstrates the crippling effects of mental health. World Mental Health Day is marked every year on October 10, to raise awareness about mental health and well-being around the world, and to assist those experiencing mental health issues.

At the height of Avicii's career, at 26, he decided to stop touring in an attempt to preserve his physical and mental health. Picture: Bang Showbiz

Since 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) has mobilised a worldwide campaign for World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme was "Make Mental Health for All a Global Priority".

WHO’s data estimated that 13% of the world's 10- to 19-year-olds are affected by mental disorders, while other studies report a particular pervasiveness of mental disorders among the youth of low- to mid-income countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Half of all adult mental health problems begin as early as age 14, and 75% by 24, making early prevention vital.

The rapid rise in violence in South Africa has resulted in schools progressively dealing with violence, not only between pupils but at times directed towards teachers too. Schools have become extremely volatile and unpredictable spaces. Reports on television, social media and print media have highlighted the escalation of school violence incidents, such as learners assaulting, bullying and stabbing other learners and educators.

It is, therefore, crucial to take October as mental health month very seriously to improve and understand the conditions in which pupils and educators find themselves since mental health issues are widespread and misunderstood.

Dr Nivisha Parag, Head of School: Healthcare Management Studies at Regent Business School says with South Africa being the lowest-ranked country based on mental well-being, Mental Health Awareness Month in October provides an ideal opportunity to intensify public education about this invisible illness.

"Safe environments must be provided for children and young people to share their feelings, be educated about mental health and self-care, and access to help must be prioritised, strengthen the foundation for better mental health later in life," Dr Parag added.

Over 10 cases have recently been reported where a pupil has fatally stabbed a fellow pupil. The latest case is that of a General Smuts High School pupil in Vereeniging was stabbed to death on his way to a taxi rank by another pupil from a different school..

In 2017, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) found that at least 247 million children are affected by school violence.

The blood stained book of Howard Mackenzie, the latest victim of gang warfare and school violence in the Western Cape. Picture: Anne Laing

In July last year, the Gauteng Department of Education commissioned the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) to implement school safety programmes in its15 districts. The initiative was split into two phases, A and B. Phase A was focused on sampling 1 500 schools to assess how prevalent violence and crime are. The Phase B Advocacy programme, known as Iskolo Sethu (our school) has been started and will be centred around developing guidelines that emphasise the creation of mechanisms to more effectively and promptly record, report, and manage safety and security issues in schools.

MGSLG said the findings were overwhelming and urgent interventions were recommended to the department, which has since committed funds to conduct capacity building, security awareness campaigns and organisations of school safety summits at the district level, among other interventions. MGSLG further indicated that the plan to deal with school violence centres around advocacy and capacity building, which will help with the resuscitation of school safety committees, community members, CSOs and NGOs’ engagements.

"These precedent deliverables would create avenues for the sustainable management of school safety and security; as well as develop strategies and systems geared towards the improvement of schools, from stakeholders and communities’ responsiveness and responses in managing unsafe practices and curbing school violence," the organisation said.

The afterschool sectors have introduced programmes that are aimed at serving children of all ages. These programmes encompass a range of focus in different areas such as academic support, youth development art, sports and recreation. The activities children and youth engage in outside school hours are critical to their overall development, highlighting the need for quality afterschool programmes in all communities.

These programmes are aimed at boosting South African youth's mental health. Zoe Mann, operations director of The Learning Trust, a non-profit organisation that supports and has developed a network of NGO community based After School Programmes (ASP) in South Africa, is in collaboration with Western Cape Provincial Youth and After School Programme Office as well as the Western Cape Branch of Community Chest to drive the third Lights On After School campaign (LOAS) in South Africa.

“The upsurge of South African young people dealing with mental health conditions is alarming. The majority of South African children are impacted by systemic poverty, high rates of violence and crime, as well as abuse and trauma in their communities. In addition to this, youth are still dealing with Covid-related grief, loss of family income, educational setbacks, and doubts regarding their future.” Mann explained.

Another ASP in The Learning Trust network is The School of Hard Knocks (SOHK), which combines touch rugby with an international socio-emotional learning curriculum to reach more than 150 at-risk adolescent girls, as well as their teachers and caregivers.

SAPS, Western Cape Education Department have been asked by Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park to step in as gang violence escalates in the area. Picture: Courtney Africa/ANA

SOHK CEO, Jon Hunter-Parsonage says, “The Lights On After School campaign is important to create awareness of how ASPs can engage with youth who are affected by trauma at a critical point in their young lives."

As young people's brains are still developing, they have a greater chance of recovering, growing through their experiences, and developing resilience than at any later stage. Good mental health, coupled with positive coping mechanisms, leads to a better future. It affects their education, sets the tone for their relationships, and paves the way for a healthy lifestyle.

The purpose of these programmes is to nurture the well-being of learners and provide them with tools that will help them understand their feelings and thoughts in a way that they might not have previously been taught.

Mandla Ngcobo is the Programme Director for the Learner Advancement Group (LAG), which aims to promote the development of strong self-awareness, self-confidence and self-concept. Ngcobo said: “We provide learners with practical tools to manage their thoughts and feelings. We encourage them to understand what worries them, to get to the root cause of any anger they may have, and we teach them how to set goals for themselves and their life."

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