Global leadership, empowering connections and tangible solutions and were at the forefront of the third annual ASEAN-Australia Youth Mental Health Fellowship Forum, led by Orygen Global.
Sixteen ASEAN-Australia fellows from Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar and Australia gathered in Jakarta, Indonesia for the forum which provided the opportunity to workshop and pitch mental health projects to ASEAN representatives.
The fellows earned rave reviews, with Dr Roger Yap Chao Jr, the Assistant Director of Education, Youth and Sports at the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department commending their bold ideas.
“I'm very proud of each and every one of you,” Dr Chao Jnr said. “For initiatives to be sustainable it has to start at the grassroots. It can serve as good practices, examples, and it's scalable.
“Your views, your initiatives, your efforts and your creativity can change the world.”
Orygen's ASEAN-Australia Youth Mental Health Fellowship supports young people in the ASEAN region with a passion and keen interest in youth mental health, to develop their skills in advocacy, policy, and project conceptualisation and implementation.
Hato Sathya, Cambodia fellow, said presenting his project to the ASEAN Secretariat was an “incredible opportunity”.
“Not only did I have the chance to meet many remarkable individuals, but I also feel confident that the issue I raised will be taken into account in the highest echelons of regional policy-making,” he said.
Singapore fellow Sharmain Chin said she found it, “inspiring to engage in meaningful discussions, make new friends, and build relationships dedicated to fostering positive change in our communities”, while Thailand fellow Wanwisa Tappasetachoti agreed it was a, “fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded people in mental health, keep our passion alive, and learn from successful leaders”.
Orygen Global Director Craig Hodges said the Jakarta forum had become an important platform in a region which has had limited or no policy focus on mental health.
“Each of our fellows has devised a mental health project which addresses a need in the youth mental health sector, within the context of their country and their culture,” Hodges said.
“Our program leads the way globally in tailoring youth mental health solutions in low-to-middle-income countries, as resourcing varies widely – creativity in project development is crucial. The forum allows fellows to compare and learn from the differing policy landscapes in each country and discuss tangible solutions.”
Held for the first time in 2022, the international meeting creates an invaluable opportunity for ASEAN-Australia fellows to enhance their policy development, project implementation and public speaking skills.
As part of Orygen Global's initiative working in partnership with the Australian High Commission and the Maldivian government, in 2024 two fellows from the Maldives were also invited to take part in the forum.
Fellows also heard from Sati App founder, Amornthep ‘Sanju’ Sachamuneewongse, who detailed his own journey creating the mental health support service in Thailand, including how to navigate funding process to make a project sustainable.
Fellow alumni Ida Bagus Adi Palguna and Airindya Bella Kusumaningrum also featured in a panel about making mental health and wellbeing an ASEAN priority.