It's okay to not feel okay

"Ruang PEKA is a truly youth-led initiative to respond to this emerging issue among young people," said Yukari Tsunokake, UNICEF Indonesia Youth Engagement Officer. "By partnering with CIMSA, a passionate youth group that aims to empower others and improve health in Indonesia, we were able to reach, support and advocate for the best mental health and psychosocial support for young people.”

In total, Ruang PEKA ran for five sessions and invited 11 adolescents and youth – including six females, one with a disability and one with schizophrenia – from UNICEF programmes and networks. They successfully represented young people's concerns and opinions on mental health, together with six NGO partners, two adolescent influencers, one popular motivational speaker and two relevant ministries who joined the live discussions and Q&A.

"I wish more young people can seek support comfortably, rather than being buried in fear or worrying about being discriminated against by others," said Audrey, an adolescent representative from Depok who joined the fourth session. "Hopefully, this initiative helps to reduce the stigma of mental health and reminds others that mental illness is normal, especially during the pandemic."

Key to the success of this initiative was the strategic collaboration with multiple partners and stakeholders. This enabled the initiative to cover a range of topics on mental health and reach a wider audience, with over 6000 views to date. Close to 3000 young people raised their voices through the U-Report polls, and some were amplified through several informative materials posted on UNICEF, U-Report and CIMSA social media channels.

"While reading the stories collected via U-Report, I often found myself overwhelmed,” said Yasmeen, CIMSA Liaison Officer to United Nations Agencies. “Young people even younger than me are experiencing challenging times, especially now. I feel relieved that we're able to provide them with a safe space to raise their voices and to receive the help they need through Ruang PEKA."

"Being a part of Ruang PEKA allows young people to acknowledge that it is okay to not feel okay and encourages them to stay connected with others," said Helen Natalia, CIMSA Indonesia Vice President for External Affairs. "It is a spirit of togetherness that supports and strengthens us during this tough time. Let's kindly share and send energy to others. And of course, as we advocated throughout the sessions, it is important that you reach out to specialists when needed."

While the pandemic is affecting young people's lives in many different ways, mental health must be taken care of as well as physical health.

"I believe that Ruang PEKA has empowered young people in Indonesia to not only care about their mental health but also to take concrete action that benefits themselves and others and to even be a part of the COVID-19 response," said Tsunokake. "Through our collective action, we hope that talking about mental health is normalised so that we can rebuild a better future in which every child and young person’s physical and mental wellbeing are ensured."

UNICEF will continue to support MHPSS for children, young people, family and communities, including through the COVID-19 Diaries campaign which provides young people with a platform to engage in meaningful activities and collectively cope with the pandemic.