THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first-of-its kind initiative to enhance the mental health and emotional well-being of children left traumatised by natural disasters or other crises, Unicef has joined hands with Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) to introduce arts-based psychosocial care, along with traditional forms of therapy and care.
The two organisations had provided arts-based psychosocial care to children at relief camps following the landslides in Wayanad. According to official sources, the new approach aims to provide a more child-friendly space and support for children in distress.
In an effort to expand the approach to cater to children in distress, KSDMA has initiated steps to upskill resource persons in the women and child development department and Kudumbashree Mission who deal with children.
“We adopted this method for children at relief camps in Wayanad after the landslides and it was very effective,” an official associated with the initiative said. “The expressive arts were used as a medium to help children process their emotions, rebuild resilience and regain a sense of stability in challenging and traumatic situations.”
With technical and financial aid from Unicef, KSDMA has collaborated with Thiruvananthapuram-based Loyola College of Social Sciences to launch a five-day workshop for government employees working with children.
“Having to repeat their trauma again and again as part of counselling is itself traumatic, and arts-based psychosocial care is an entirely different approach for children to express their feelings. It could involve music, dance, painting, drama, or song,” says Ammu Lukose, who heads the department of counselling psychology at Loyola College of Social Sciences.
As many 50 people from women and child development department, Kudumbashree and counsellors from Loyola college are attending the workshop.
Unicef and KSDMA are gearing up to hold another workshop for new batch in February. “We will be designing a module and Loyola college will launch it as a course,” said an official.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn techniques to integrate the arts into their work with children, to foster emotional recovery.
The workshop also highlights the potential of expressive arts in disaster recovery for children by creating a supportive space where they can explore and process their emotions safely.
Healing move
KSDMA has taken measures to upskill resource persons in the women and child development department and Kudumbashree Mission who deal with children
It has also collaborated with Loyola College of Social Sciences to launch a workshop for government employees working with children