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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

‘Adolescents need emotional support to face life’

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Muscat, Sept 17 - Adolescent children need emotional support to face life, excel in both social and personal life and become an asset to society, said psychological and educational experts.


While meeting their needs is crucial, meeting their emotional needs is even more important to save children and adolescents from maladies of life, including drugs, emotional insecurity and other disorders, according to them.


“We need to take care of the emotional transactions of adolescents in our families. Listen to them with patience, care for them and make them believe they have a shoulder to lean upon in times of trouble so that a mentally stronger generation can be moulded,” said Mohammed Abbas al Balushi, Supervisor, Social Guidance, Ministry of Education (MoE).


Speaking on the sidelines of the five-day United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) workshops in association with the Ministry of Education (MoH) and Ministry of Health, he said the adolescent population is suffering from isolation, depression, domestic violence, bullying and “improper psychological conditions”, besides problems such as smoking, drugs, alcohol, internet addiction and online blackmail.


The workshops were conducted to provide required skills to the health educators, nurses and psychological specialists at schools to deal with adolescents.


“Young girls need emotional support and a better support system from family, teachers and friends to save them from psychological turbulences,” says Ibtisam al Rawahi, Specialist, Health Awareness, MoE.


“Support systems are needed, including individual/ group counselling, support from committees formed for the purpose both at the school level and in communities,” she said.


“But the first and foremost is to keep away from societal taboos of false pride and inform the authorities if you find any change in the behaviour of an adolescent in the family,” she added.


Internationally acclaimed health and social trainer Dr Reyem Rabah from Lebanon said the trainees would be given insights into the physical and psychological needs of adolescents.


There were 30 trainees from MoE and MoH, of which 20 were from five governorates.


Shaima Aly, the Programme and Communication Associate, UNFPA, Sub-Regional Office, Gulf Cooperation Council States, said the trainees will also learn more about their roles and how to include society and family in dealing with adolescents.


“The training will focus on important aspects of young men and women and improve trainees’ communication to address the issues associated with these stages of life. It enhances their general knowledge about the ways to solve the current challenges the young students are facing,” said Shaima.


KABEER YOUSUF


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