At the start of the story, a bundle of joy is born,

Not knowing how her soul will be torn…

Rising feelings of panic when something was out of place.

Why couldn’t she just be like a normal kid her age?

 

The poem is an excerpt of a submission from a team of four secondary Girls for a recently ended competition themed “Better Minds, Better Tomorrow”, a call for creative expressions to educate, encourage, foster empathy, to encourage Girls to look beyond themselves and express their aspirations for their community.

The competition, which lasted from April to July, received more than 500 creative entries from 1600 Girls nationwide. Our Judges were impressed by the sheer quality of entries presented. Girls were brave to tackle a spectrum of mental health challenges from the likes of the common daily stressors to weightier subjects such as depression and Bipolar disorder.

 

You Are Not Alone

A resounding theme that stood out amongst the entries was the ability of our young minds to dole out relatable yet heartfelt submissions with a clear message – we’re never alone on our journey towards better mental wellbeing, nor should we be left to our own devices to figure things out.

Things have weighed heavily on our minds in the past two years. The onslaught of a pandemic led many to spiral into a host of uncertainty and woes, unleashing a flurry of mental health concerns never before seen in recent years–youths alike are not spared from this agony. 

Speaking as the Guest of Honour for the closing Awards Ceremony, Mr Eric Chua, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development, echoed the same sentiments that,

“When it comes to mental health, we should give ourselves the permission to seek help and to accept that it is okay not to be okay.”

 

Winsome Wisdom of Wise Words 

In one of the more light-hearted entries, the producers of “The Guacamole Show” highlighted stressors most commonly faced by their peers during this season.

Just like any school-going child, the burden of juggling a string of commitments and the need to adapt to new changes swiftly can be overwhelming at times.

Inspired by their first-hand experiences of Home-Based Learning, Girls were not afraid to address the realities of stressful transitions during Circuit Breaker, going the extra mile to lay out well-researched tips to encourage fellow Girls.

Click here to view some of our winning entries.

Mr Eric Chua, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development (Centre), taking a screenshot together with one of our Challenge Shield winners, Team Aurora of 1st  Company, Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)

Mind the Gap

Everyone has someone close to them who has gone through some form of mental and emotional struggle. Yet, not many know how to offer the right help. More often than not, those with good intentions fall short of knowing what they can do at the right time.

This pressing concern was a distinguishing feature amongst the top questions asked during a panel discussion moderated by Ms Anita Low, Senior Director of TOUCH Community Services. Joining her was Mr Eric Chua and Ms Andrea Chan, a certified counsellor at TOUCH Community Services.

Here are the 3 most popular questions the children and youth wanted the panel to address:

“What I should do if I am worried about a friend or a relative? Can I diagnose myself or someone else?”

• • Mr Eric Chua: “Girls who are having a hunch about a classmate or a friend who is having some form of trouble, it is also good to just check-in… Even a simple statement of ‘Hey, how are you feeling today?’ And the mere fact that you’re present, lending your ears and shoulders can work wonders.”

• • Ms Andrea Chan: “Don’t try diagnosing yourself with Google or your imagination. All of us have seasons that we feel stress or times that we display one or two symptoms here and there… But it does not mean that we do have a mental health condition. If you feel that you have some of these symptoms for a period of time,  please reach out, call the hotlines available to talk to someone who knows well about mental health and is able to check in with you on what you are facing”.

 

“Is it okay to keep all my problems to myself?”

• • Andrea: “Sharing (your troubles) with someone is a form of coping strategy. It helps your mind process what is happening. Don’t allow help to be delayed.”
  • Eric: “Mental health exists on a spectrum. It is normal to feel stressed, especially during the exam period, and that’s okay… But as we move along the spectrum and when we can’t cope with it anymore, each of us has a tipping point.”

• • Eric: “Each of us needs to learn to develop a practice of self-regulating. As everyone has a different way of distressing, we need to look for the things that will help manage those emotions and feelings.”

 

“All of us have seasons that we feel stress or times that we display one or two symptoms here and there… But it does not mean that we do have a mental health condition.”

– Ms Andrea Chan

 

“Should parents be in the know when a Girl faces certain mental challenges?

• • Andrea: “Research has shown that treatment outcomes are better when you say yes to allowing your parents to journey alongside you–in terms of sustained recovery, in terms of preventing relapse… Let us partner with you to convince your parents; to encourage and equip your parents with the concrete tools to help you. Then, will they feel less helpless or threatened?”

• • Eric: “It is difficult at times to seek help from their parents. But it is also essential to look to trusted adults in their lives to help process their feelings.”

 

The Q&A Panel discussion was moderated by Ms Anita Low, Senior Director of TOUCH Community Services. Invited to the panel are  Mr Eric Chua (top Left) and  Ms Andrea Chan (top right), Certified Counsellor of Touch Community Services.

Here for You, Here with You

While it’s okay not to be okay, it is not okay to stay there.

Sharing his heart for those in distress, Mr Eric Chua reminded every Girl of the importance of reaching out in times of need.

“Know that there are resources and information available to help all of us understand what we are going through and struggling with.”

“Know that you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can reach out to your friends, classmates, parents, teachers, or a trusted adult for a listening ear, or to point you to support that is available,” he said.

 Click here to explore more creative entries by the Girls. Just like how it has encouraged us, we hope that you too will be inspired and learn something new from the Girls themselves.

Help is Available

Often, when grief waves break over us, we tend to believe that we are unable to have control over every thought. All forms of “spiralling” will lead us to believe no one can help us up from our deepest and darkest pit.

In truth, we’re created for a relationship with one another. In joy and grief, these relationships provide a strong anchor point that we can fall back on in times of trouble. Positive relationships give us strength and support to plod through difficult seasons.

Remember, we’re are not expected to weather our storms alone. There is always someone out there who is willing on all accounts to help carry the load together with us.

Fred Rogers, a pioneer of the children’s television programme Mr Rogers and advocate for mental health, reminds us that self-expression and talking about our feelings to someone trusted helps us process our emotions better.

“Anything human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”

As a token of appreciation, Mr Eric Chua received a handmade diorama created by the Girls of 90th Company, Grace Orchard School.

To our Girls, friends and GB family. Together, we can make each day a better place, for a better tomorrow—one day at a time.

 

If you’re feeling troubled and would like a listening ear,  help is available at these hotlines:

• Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): 1-767 (1-SOS) (24-hour) | pat@sos.org.sg| m.me/SamaritansofSingapore
• Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24-hour)
• National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868
• Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
• Care Corner Counselling Centre (English and Mandarin): 6353 1180
• TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
• Fei Yue’s Online Counselling Service: ec2.sg
• Tinkle Friend by Singapore Children’s Society: 1800-274-4788 | tinklefriend.sg (online chat)
• Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6385-3714