Airindya Bella Kusumaningrum
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Airindya Bella Kusumaningrum

What is your specific area of interest in youth mental health advocacy?

Group Advocacy and Anti-Stigma Advocacy.

why is youth mental health advocacy important to you?

Youth mental health advocacy is crucial to me because the youth bridge the older and upcoming generations, bearing immense responsibility. Ensuring their mental well-being would have a supreme impact, as they are the future nation-builders, tasked with steering progress while balancing multi-generational expectations.

how would you describe mental health in your community?

Understanding mental health poses a significant challenge due to its intangible nature. Unlike physical illnesses, such as bone fractures which exhibit obvious symptoms, mental disorders are often concealed within the complex fabric of human emotions and thoughts. This invisibility often makes mental health issues difficult for individuals and communities to acknowledge.

Project summary

Firstly, a collaborative public campaign involving stakeholders, healthcare professionals, influencers, and NGOs. This campaign would work towards dismantling the stigma around mental health services and educating the public on the availability of national health coverage for mental health treatment. Secondly, I plan to organise a workshop for primary healthcare providers focused on enhancing their understanding and empathy towards mental health patients. The workshop, offering professional credit for participation, would entail theoretical learning from expert psychologists and psychiatrists, followed by practical training with voluntary patients in a private, respectful setting. Dubbed Surprise of Sanity (SoS), this initiative aims to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and patients, fostering a more empathetic and effective mental health care landscape.