Turn it on! The child protection organization is launching a six-part mini-series entitled Safety belt for children’s mental health, in the first episode of which Antónia Mészáros, the executive director of UNICEF Hungary, and Viola Szlankó, the organization’s head of child protection, talk with clinical psychologist Noémi Orvos-Tóth. The podcast is supported by Magyar Suzuki Zrt.
In the fortnightly series, professionals who encounter the biggest challenges affecting young people on a daily basis talk. Annamária Tari clinical psychologist, Dr. Gábor Zacher toxicologist, József Balatoni, alias Uncle Jocó, dr. Clinical psychologist Zsanett Tárnok, dr. Dorina Csalár, head of the NMHH Internet Hotline and Judit Fribék r. Captain from the Cybercrime Department of the National Investigation Bureau also shares his personal experiences with us. In addition to them, UNICEF Hungary’s young ambassadors also represent the opinions of their own age group, and Kriszta D. Tóth, UNICEF Hungary’s Goodwill Ambassador, tells us about her insights from the perspective of a parent.
During the discussions, the participants go over the topics that represent the biggest challenges for the parents and families of young children and young people these days. It will be about the mental state of young people, online addiction, drug use, online dangers, peer abuse, adolescent apathy and how to bridge generational differences and create a relationship of trust and honestly talk about these topics.
“UNICEF Hungary makes serious efforts to preserve the mental health of children and the adults who work for them. In recent years, families and especially young people have been faced with so many challenges that it is very important to think about this together and find solutions together, to have honest conversations in order to reveal the real causes and continue the search for solutions, all this by listening to and involving young people “- said Antónia Mészáros, host of the series, executive director of UNICEF Hungary.
For many years, UNICEF Hungary has focused on supporting the mental health of children and young people. With its research, e-learning knowledge materials, videos, live discussions and supervision, it helps children, parents, teachers and professionals working with children. The series supports them in that they are not alone with their problems and that they have somewhere to turn if they need help.
“It is clear that a child can only be well if the adults around him are also well. There is a huge need to voice the biggest challenges of parenting, talk, ask and ask for help when needed” said Viola Szlankó, one of the permanent characters of the series, the child protection director of UNICEF Hungary.
Every year young people need more and more spiritual help and receive less and less help. In 2023, the organization organized a children’s rights conference “About every child” to build a bridge between professionals and parents. The gap-filling event was sold out, many people could no longer register. In response to the extraordinary interest, the new initiative was launched in order to start further conversations about child rearing and parental roles, which can be heard by those interested in all corners of the country. Magyar Suzuki Zrt. – which was the main sponsor of the 2023 conference – has been supporting the organization’s programs that help lay the foundation for a safe childhood for the sixth year. This year, as the main sponsor of the “Turn on” series, they provide a seat belt to protect the mental health of children and young people.
“All of us are responsible for what kind of adults we raise and in what quality and with what means we do it in a world in which we face challenges every day. The mental health and emotional well-being of children greatly affects the lives of all of us. Their performance, social relationships, health and coping skills will affect the development of society as a whole. It is our shared responsibility to pay attention to them, and to give adults the tools to effectively support the younger generations” – said Zsuzsanna Bonnár-Csonka, head of corporate communications at Magyar Suzuki Zrt.
UNICEF examined the mental health of children and young people at an international level. According to estimates, every seventh adolescent worldwide struggles with a mental illness, this rate is even higher in Hungary, and the problem affects one in five young people in our country. In Europe, the second leading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds is suicide. Anxiety and panic symptoms, as well as depression, are common. Nevertheless, according to 2022 OECD data, the European 52% of young people do not receive adequate mental health care.
The situation in Hungary is not reassuring either. According to Vadaskert specialists, the number of anxiety and depression cases has increased fivefold since the pandemic, accompanied by a 40% increase in emergency cases. Although the pandemic is officially over, the numbers have not decreased since then.
The first step towards prevention is to recognize in time when a change in a child’s behavior has occurred and dare to ask for help. UNICEF Hungary’s new podcast and video series helps to understand different behavior patterns and connections, and provides useful advice for preventing and treating serious problems. “Turn it on! Safety belt for children’s mental health” – new episode biweekly on Thursdays on the organization’s YouTube channel and on the largest podcast distributors.
PREMIERE: October 10, 2024, World Mental Health Day at 19:00.
YouTube link of the first broadcast: https://youtu.be/J2r3GmL5re8
FB event link: https://fb.me/e/7f9VZwTp4
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
