Manodarpan – Psychological Support Sessions for Students, Parents and Teachers in Jammu

Bharti Foundation, in collaboration with Counselling Cell, Directorate of School Education, Jammu, organised online sensitization cum training programme in Jammu to create awareness among faculty counsellors regarding Manodarpan, an initiative of MHRD, to provide psychosocial support to students, their parents and teachers during the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond. More than 2000 faculty counsellors from over 1,100 Schools (Higher Secondary and High Schools) of Jammu Division were trained on Stress Management, Managing Emotions and Manodarpan. These faculty counsellors who are working in already constituted counselling cells in High and Higher Secondary Schools will further impart these training to students, their parents and teachers.

The online training sessions were delivered from 31^st August, 2020 to 9^th September, 2020 in a phased manner using virtual platforms, in all the 10 districts of Jammu Division. Resource persons both from counselling cell DSEJ and Bharti Foundation conducted online interactive sessions. To make the training effective, various features were added to the session like pre-post assessments, regular interactions, feedback and polls.

Ms. Anuradha Gupta, Director School Education, Jammu, called upon all faculty counsellors to carry this training forward to the students, parents and teachers. She said that during the pandemic, the mental health of students, parents and teachers has been adversely impacted and at this crucial time, they need psychosocial support. She appreciated the efforts of Counselling Cell DSEJ and Bharti Foundation in organising relevant sessions on Stress Management and Emotions Management. She encouraged the counselling cell members to conduct a study for impact assessment of such psychosocial interventions. Mr. Romesh Kumar, Head Counselling Cell DSEJ assured to work for making these initiatives sustainable to offer psychological support post the pandemic as well.

The sessions on orientation to Manodarpan were conducted by Mr. Romesh Sharma, Ms. Alka Sharma (Member, Counselling cell DSEJ), Ms. Preeti Sharma (Faculty Counsellor and Ruhi Kousar District counselling coordinator), whereas the sessions on Stress Management and Managing Emotions were conducted by resource persons from Bharti Foundation.

Pertinently, Counselling cell, DSEJ, is actively engaged in offering psychosocial support to students during these challenging times through different activities including telecounselling helpline, webinars, and virtual sessions by faculty counsellors, capacity development of faculty counsellors, issuing advisories, following counselling calendar etc., Bharti foundation is helping counselling cell DSEJ in strengthening counselling cells in schools.

The technical support for this training programme was provided by Bharti Foundation whereas Counsellor Shanti Saroop Sharma member Counselling cell DSEJ, District Nodal Officers, District Counselling Coordinators, Zonal Counselling coordinators, Psychological Task Force members, Sohail wani DRG Doda contributed in its smooth conduct.

This article has been written and published by the Directorate of School Education, Jammu.