23 July 2000

SPEECH BY DR ALINE WONG, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION, AT THE "CELEBRATION OF YOUTH" CARNIVAL AND LAUNCH OF CAMPAIGN "CHANGING OF HEARTS AND MINDS. UNDERSTANDING THE MENTALLY ILL" ON SUNDAY, 23 JULY 2000, AT 2.30 PM,
AT WOODBRIDGE HOSPITAL, 10 BUANGKOK VIEW

It is a pleasure for me to join you at this "Celebration of Youth" carnival and to launch the Campaign, "Changing Hearts and Minds - Understanding the Mentally Ill".

2 It is heartening to see that so many young people have turned up to support the carnival and the campaign. I am also pleased to note that the activities in this carnival include talks on some of the important issues that confront our youth today, such as managing stress, emotions and relationship difficulties.

3 The pace of change, and the pace of life in today's world, are much faster than those of one or two generations ago. We are all faced with increasing demands to manage new information, new technology, job changes and higher expectations. Our students are not spared. They face a myriad of pressures - from home, school, their peers, and even from themselves. How are our young coping? Who do they turn to?

4 Emotional and psychological problems among children and adolescents include developmental disorders, emotional and adjustment problems, hyperactivity and conduct or behavioural disorder. You may know or have read about young people in distress, e.g. those who have eating disorders, those who are trying to cope with their parents' divorces, or those who get extremely stressed during exams or suffer from low self-esteem.

5 For many, family, teachers and friends are able to provide strong emotional support. However, for some, their families may not be able to provide emotional support, and may in fact be the source of their distress, such as when their parents are going through divorce which is a more common occurrence nowadays. For these persons and others who have emotional and psychological problems, they may require help from doctors, professional counsellors, social workers or psychiatrists.

6 Over the years, there has been increasing public awareness of mental health problems among the young. However, it is still the case that not all who need professional help ask for it. They are deterred by the stigma associated with seeing mental health professionals. People around them may have misconceptions about what psychiatrists and psychologists do, and advise them against it. The consequence is that these people suffer in silence, and find it increasingly difficult to cope. We need therefore, to change the mindsets of our society with regard to mental health.

7 But more than educating society on the plight of those with mental health difficulties, we need to prepare our youth to face the challenges to come and to cope with pressures in their lives, which are inevitable. This responsibility lies not only with the school, but also with the family and the individual.

8 Our schools recognise the importance of supporting their students' emotional and social development. The Ministry of Education provides expertise, training and resources to schools in the form of in-house teacher counsellors and professional counselling services from outside agencies, training in social skills and life skills for students, the Pastoral Care programme, as well as the recently introduced Conflict Manager Programme and the Peer Mediation Programme. These programmes are aimed at providing guidance and developing skills and competencies in students so that they are better able to regulate their own behaviour, manage their time and emotions effectively, and foster positive relationships with those around them.

9 In addition to school and community efforts, our youth, as individuals, must understand the importance of mental health, and take steps towards developing their competencies in this area. Our youth need to have skills that will help them identify and recognise problems when they arise. They need to know who or where they may go for help, they need to know how and when to ask for help. I urge our youth of today to give due recognition to the importance of these skills to their total well-being.

10 I am pleased to note that the range of seminars arranged for the Carnival addresses the common difficulties faced by young people - such as getting along with peers, handling exam pressure, coping with depression, boy-girl relationships and body image and adolescence issues. I hope you will attend these seminars as I have no doubt that relevant and useful information and advice will be presented.

11 It is on this note that I am pleased to be part of the "Celebration of Youth" carnival because it celebrates youth and in youth lies our future. Thank you.