The Office of Student Affairs and Services (OSAS) shifted to a student-centered approach to promoting mental health awareness and well-being services through “Tatag Envergans,” a three-day campaign featuring student-led activities and peer engagement in observance of World Mental Health Month at Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation (MSEUF) on Oct. 5, 9, and 16.
Departing from previous years’ seminar-centered programs at the University Gymnasium, this year’s campaign focused on student participation through the involvement of student organizations and peer facilitators.
“Although this is for mental health awareness, we believe that the first step in solving problems in mental health is to make everyone aware of our services,” OSAS Acting Head Rey Marco Casiño said.
OSAS, together with PeerKada—its student peer facilitators, opened the campaign on October 5 with a Photobooth and Freedom Wall at the OSAS Building to introduce students to the campaign’s activities.
For its main event on October 9, the campaign brought together the Envergan community in the first Mental Health Parade and featured mental health booths through the efforts of 10 student organizations, expanding student involvement in reaching their peers through mental health awareness activities.
Meanwhile, registered guidance counselor Zedric Lorzano served as the resource facilitator for a group reflection activity in which students wrote letters about what they wanted to let go of and tore them up as a symbolic act of moving forward.
According to Aira Riza Abad, OSAS chairperson for this year’s World Mental Health Month programs, 323 students attended the main event, surpassing the organizers’ expected turnout.
“Ang OSAS kasi minsan, hindi pa rin talaga alam na for well-being ang aming service sa mga bata,” Abad said.
Through its activities, the campaign aimed to raise students’ awareness of the mental health and well-being services available at OSAS.
“Hopefully, ma-reach namin ang mga kids na maging open, maging bukas ang OSAS para sila ay pumunta dito at makipagkuwentuhan sa amin, para kahit papaano gumaan ang kanilang mga dinadala,” Abad added.
OSAS concluded the campaign with a scrapbook-making activity on October 16 at the OSAS Conference Room.
