FairGaze Partner IEF Draws Attention to Mental Health, Gravest Challenge for Youth Today

15 Oct, 2019

Summary: FairGaze partner India Excellence Forum (IEF), India's leading mental health advisory, organized Mental Health Festival, a mega event on the occasion of The World Mental Health Day, in collaboration with Gautam Buddha University, Noida, on October 13 2019 with a core focus on Suicide Prevention.

New Delhi, October 15, 2019: FairGaze partner India Excellence Forum (IEF), India's leading mental health advisory, organized, Mental Health Festival, a mega event on the occasion of The World Mental Health Day, in collaboration with Gautam Buddha University, Noida, on October 13 2019 with a core focus on Suicide Prevention.

Having established that out of 253 million adolescents in our country, the 70 million adolescent students are the next generation of adult population on whom the future of our country immediately depends, IEF launched its signature solution called the BE WELL Behaviour & Well-Being Framework which details the manner & method of responding to adolescent student’s Behavioural challenges through collaborative participation instead of episodic interventions. The framework is a tri-phasic district-wide adoption model and was presented to & launched by the honourable Chief Guests Shri Harivansh Narayan Singhji, Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha and Brig. Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Director, Government Institute of Medical Sciences.

National Mental Health Survey of India 2015-16 states that nearly 150 million people in our country are in need of active interventions, of which 9.8 million fall in the age group of 13-17 years. IEF believes that there is urgent need for the society to actively participate in foundational improvement to ensure preventive action on suicide, criminal indulgences, deviancies, tech-addiction and substance abuse.

With an intent to keep the initiative on mental health sustained, IEF shaped the event as the start of a continuous relationship with Gautam Buddha University, schools in Noida, resident communities, police stations and local area management councils to collaborate on creating awareness on the subject of mental health among students, parents, teachers and engage with people & local enterprises to come forward & support such an initiative. To support this collaboration IEF along with GBU will run year long program series. IEF’s founding team has immense on-ground experience in making such things happen. Probir Roy, President IEF & the torch bearer of the cause says, “We will select, sponsor, train & certify 100 Behavioural Mentors in a phased manner for Noida and conduct BE WELL™ interventions in schools, colleges & communities in the region”. Manab Misra Secretary General IEF & the project execution genius says ,”In the last few years IEF has addressed more than 20,000 students, teachers, parents & principals from Kupwara to Mangalore & Mumbai to Hojai in Assam.” Arti Ahluwalia, Vice President IEF & developer of the BE WELL Framework believes, ”Children who are in the age group of 13-17 years will live in the world till 2080 & therefore need direction on how to remain relevant for the next 30 to 40 years of their life to help the world cope with change. This can’t happen without a method and a national level mind-set for it”. Lira Priyadarsini, Head of IEF’s nutrition vertical & an entrepreneur in parenting says, "80% of today’s 9-12 class students have some form of mental health issues. This requires a movement by the name ‘Mansik swaasth sey swasth Bharat."

IEF is India’s top not-for-profit organization working on adolescent behavioural & mental well-being across the country through its ‘India Centric’ personalized individual support to adolescent students, their parents & teachers.