My heart is imbued with gratitude and hope in sharing the insights that we all gathered from the two-part Webinar series presented by Dr. Rita Aggarwal, the Chair of Rotary Action Group for Mental Health Initiatives, hosted by the Basic Education and Literacy Rotary Action Group. The first webinar was entitled, “Social Emotional Learning: The Foundation for Life Long Success” where we had the honor of being joined by Past R.I. President Gordon McInally (2023-24) whose affirmation that learning outcomes are optimum when we ensure students’ well being and safety, set the tone for both the webinars. Mr. McInally pointed out that education and well being are “essential partners” for “creating lasting impact” in learning outcomes for early and advanced stage learners. Mr. McInally called upon BELRAG and RAGMHI to continue working on their “shared mission” in this direction.
My heart is imbued with gratitude and hope in sharing the insights that we all gathered from the two-part Webinar series presented by Dr. Rita Aggarwal, the Chair of Rotary Action Group for Mental Health Initiatives, hosted by the Basic Education and Literacy Rotary Action Group. The first webinar was entitled, “Social Emotional Learning: The Foundation for Life Long Success” where we had the honor of being joined by Past R.I. President Gordon McInally (2023-24) whose affirmation that learning outcomes are optimum when we ensure students’ well being and safety, set the tone for both the webinars. Mr. McInally pointed out that education and well being are “essential partners” for “creating lasting impact” in learning outcomes for early and advanced stage learners. Mr. McInally called upon BELRAG and RAGMHI to continue working on their “shared mission” in this direction.
Dr. Rita started her presentation with her emphasis on “care and quality” as integral elements of “social emotional learning” (SEL) that makes every child equipped with the skills to evolve a sense of self understanding, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making in and out of the classrooms. Dr. Rita used statistics to point out that mental health crises are rampant in the world right now, and affirmed that effective learning is not possible without social and emotional well-being. Dr. Rita made a convincing co relation between the 4-Way Test of Rotary and the value driven approach to learning that we engender in our children through the Social Emotional dynamics. Dr. Rita drew attention to the “Care and Share” program components of SEL that train teachers, counsellors, and students on how to deal with stress management, goal setting, conflict resolution, and managing digital life. “SEL is the best investment we can make for Mental Health and academic excellence,” affirmed Dr. Rita. Mr. McInally’s Speaker Response emphasized the very same vital co-relation, and called upon Rotary clubs to incorporate SEL programs as “the heart of education” with the view to measure the outcomes and ensure sustainability. Mr. McInally said that “reading” is the “key to knowledge” and SEL is the “tool to thrive” for all our learners and students.
The second part of this webinar presentation by Dr. Rita was entitled, “Prevention of Depression: A Perspective on Peer Leadership Programs for High School Students.” The program is titled “Wellness in a Box,” which is an evidence-based toolkit prepared by RAGMHI and has been implemented successfully in U.S.A., Puerto Rico, Nigeria, and India. According to data available, 50% of mental health problems begin before age 16 and 960 million of our young ones from around the world are affected by mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Around 1/3 of the children under age18 in a huge country like India are afflicted by such problems and don’t know where to turn for help, besides facing issues related to stigma on mental health issues. These problems adversely impact the attention and retention rates in high schools, besides adversely impacting overall educational outcomes.
Dr. Rita praised the contribution of Bob Anthony, the past Chair of RAGMHI, and pointed out that the curriculum based “Break Free from Depression” program is prepared by Boston Children’s Hospital, affiliated to Harvard Medical School and Harvard University. They are offering free web based virtual programs of “Break Free from Depression and “Wellness in a Box.” Dr. Rita pointed out that in Nagpur, 2,300 participants have to date completed the program, 2,000 parents and teachers have been trained, 5 schools have been given fulltime counsellors as a part of Rotary club’s efforts to bundle “wellness” with the “literacy objectives” in the programs being embraced by the schools in their areas.
A pre survey and post survey measured the outcomes of the two-year program which showed a 15% rise in knowledge, reduction in stigma, and a rising confidence in seeking help. The Peer Leadership Programs where Interactors and Rotaractors were engaged was hugely successful to create an empathetic atmosphere and a culture of peer-to-peer support.
Both the webinar series were followed up by animated discussions amongst the worldwide audience of participants, which made both the sessions very meaningful and result-oriented. It’s pertinent to conclude with a quote by Past R.I. President Gordon McInally, “Mental health touches every family, every community, and every community. It shapes how we live, how we connect, and how we contribute to the world around us. Rotary’s work in mental health is about dignity, hope, and ensuring that no one feels alone in their struggles. By listening without judgment, supporting meaningful services, and breaking down stigma.” Amen.