Giving Tuesday: Turning up the volume on mental health
When we published our 2022 Annual Report earlier this year, South Africa was the lowest-ranked country worldwide for mental well-being with young people, especially young girls, being the most vulnerable. Currently, South Africa is still amongst the lowest-ranked countries worldwide. Research on mental health suggests that children and youth need to be encouraged to speak openly about mental health issues and that they benefit from hearing the experiences of others.
Through our radio broadcasts and podcasts, we open up space for conversations that chip away at the stigma around mental health and encourage youth to access services.
Recently, we brought nine of our South African youth reporters together to produce a podcast episode that captured personal experiences about mental health. Their stories help us understand the struggles of young people across the country and can be powerful tools to spark conversation and action.
Over six days, the youth reporters produced three intimate audio stories. They furthered their reporting skills, sharpened their interview technique, and learned new ways to report on mental health topics. The episode, Listen To Me, includes three stories and explores a range of mental health topics - including the challenges of living with bipolar disorder, growing up with an absent father, and the impact of trauma.
This Giving Tuesday, we’d like to acknowledge the courage and resilience of the young people who continue to approach challenging conversations about mental health with sensitivity, honesty, and a willingness to learn.
Thank you for your continued support,
Yumna Martin, Radio Workshop Board Chair
Linda Barnett, US Radio Workshop Friends Chair
Emmanuelle Parr, UK Radio Workshop Friends Chair