UNICEF-backed youth friendly service centres help Kazakh teens solve problems and develop art skills
Youth friendly service centres that were created with UNICEF’s support and initiative in Kazakhstan in 2004 are helping teens and adolescents who find themselves in a difficult situation, believe in themselves and become confident in life. UNICEF brought the concept of youth-friendly clinics which are purely designed for adolescents and which provide a wide range of health of services free-of-charge. Youth friendly service centres function today in the cities of Astana, Almaty, Semey, Taraz, Ust-Kamenogorsk and Shymkent. Teenagers and adolescents receive professional consultations on reproductive health, contraception, family planning, prevention of STDs, psychological health, prevention of alcoholism and drug addiction, rational nutrition, prevention of stress and depression situations, accidents and traumas, and on problems of violence. The centres provide also juridical assistance. Confidentiality and friendliness of the staff are major factors that should help children come to centres and find solutions to their health and psychological problems. The Demeu youth-friendly services centre, initiated by UNCEF four years ago in Astana, held a photo and art exhibition named “Do good, give love and you’ll always be healthy”, at which works by Astana school and college students were exhibited. At the exhibition we talked to some of the children who regularly visit Demeu because here they are given support they need. The centre, which was initially created by UNICEF, is going to be a focal point for other youth friendly service centres which will be opened at the hospitals in Astana city and other cities of Kazakhstan as well. The talk with the girls attending this centre showed how important the centre is: the centre helped girls not only overcome their private problems, but also be more involved in the social life (for example, there are some initiatives carried out together with UN volunteers). The staff of Demeu is also very proud of working in this organization. Some of doctors had been working in state hospitals in the past. And they admit that Demeu gives them the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a completely different way, be more creative and open-minded. Karina, 16 years old Karina was living through difficult times when one day she noticed a television advertisement. It was information on the Demeu youth-friendly services centre. The information said that the centre provides psychological assistance for teenagers and adolescents. Without hesitation, Karina wrote down the telephone numbers and the address of the centre. The advent of adult life and her farewell to childhood was tough for Karina. When she turned 14, she withdrew into herself. Her diffidence and the fear of being “stout” and “clumsy” led to refusing to eat properly. As a result, this led to her becoming anorexic.
Karina tried to commit suicide. Her mother saved her. However, her mother found it difficult to relate to her daughter, who suddenly became so adult, so alien. Karina came to Demeu in February 2008. The first consultation with the centre’s psychologist Tatiana went well. Karina did not feel like confiding in an absolutely strange woman, however she said to herself that she would come to Demeu again. At the third consultation Karina was able to share her inner feelings and fears, and she suddenly felt at ease. That day she came home and started eating without her mother’s persuasion and requests. Karina also started visiting a psychological club Yin-Yang, which gathers people every Wednesday. Now, she looks forward to each Wednesday in order to see her new friends, talk without fear, and to be understood, as well as to listen to others. Karina now attends the hobby group on art therapy. She says that one doesn’t need to be able to draw in order to attend the hobby group. Because as soon as you take a pencil or a brush, you start splashing out your emotions on the paper. “The important thing here is the process – every picture is unique,” she says. Since September 2008 she has been studying in a new class. She sees no obstacles for communicating with peers any more. She has now lots of new friends. She laughs and jokes more often and she rejoices over her mother’s smile. Karina spends lots of time at Demeu. She can’t imagine her life without Demeu: she has found new friends and like-minded people here with whom she can share her ideas and thoughts. Karina dreams to be a writer because she is fond of writing poems and stories, which she often brings to Demeu. Oksana, 15 years old Oksana has been attending Demeur for a couple of months. Her friend who also comes to Demeu advised her about the centre. The situation in Oksana’s family is grave: her mother died when she was six years old, and her father remarried. However, the step-mother’s relations with Oksana and her brother were not good, and her father divorced his second wife. Her father has now been living with another woman for six years. Oksana says that although her new step-mother doesn’t love them like her real mother, she at least doesn’t beat them as the first step-mother used to do. Oksana’s father loves her very much. However, he is ‘fond of the bottle’ and that causes quarrels and brawls in the family. Now, Oksana studies economics in a college in Astana. However, she does not like this subject because she dreams to work in the area of marketing and advertising. In Demeu she met people who are interesting to talk to and who can provide support for her and cheer her up. And she is very happy to be part of Demeu and to be here for other young people who may need her support one day…
Mirgul came to Demeu after she was advised by her mother who happened to know one of the Demeu staff. Mirgul has grown up in a loving and happy family. She goes to a secondary school in Astana and studies hard. Her parents are proud of her and would like her to work in the public sector in the future. Mirgul has been attending Demeu since July 2008. She likes to participate in the sessions of the Yin-Yang club. Mirgul says that her meetings with the member and the psychologist of the club help her overcome her shyness and diffidence. Now she easily communicates with her peers at school. Into the bargain, she fell in love with art therapy and realized that she wants to be a designer or a journalist. The time will show. “Demeu developed my skills and I know what I really want to be. After our conversations with the psychologist and my peers and art therapy lessons at Demeu I realized, how important it is to be committed to do the things you really love to do!” – says Mirgul.
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