Hasnur Center, Youth Ministry hold a mental health talk show

Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - Hasnur Center Foundation in collaboration with Youth and Sports Ministry held a talk show discussing the issue of mental health as one of causes of decline in youth development index (IPP) in Indonesia.

Young Expert Policy Analyst Deputy Youth Character of Youth Empowerment of the Minstry Kartini Sulistiyowati here on Saturday said mental health is a big problem that must be paid attention because it has an important role in quality of youth human resources.

“This mental health issue is a strategic program mandated by Minister of Youth and Sports, so we initiated the Olah Rasa program which focuses on how to provide solution to youth mental health,” she said.

Hasnur Center organized the talkshow with the theme "establishing Pentahelix Collaboration Towards the Indonesian Generation Mentally Healthy" at Muhamdiyah Banjarmasin University (UMB), South Kalimantan, Friday (March 8, 2024).

“This program involves students and youth community as younger generation, also presents psychology expert from academia as resource person,” she said.

Kartini said the psychology expert described the mental health condition of young people regarding changes in behavior and communication, then provided gradual counseling to change  mindset of youth who were exposed to a negative direction.

Based on Statistics Indonesia (BPS), in 2022 as many as 24 percent of the total youth population were exposed to addiction to smoking, pornography, drugs, and mental disorders.

This data, she said, provides an illustration that chances of unhealthy youth are increasing day by day, resulting in a decrease in IPP of regions, because youth are less productive  due to impaired mental health.

This is the reason that the Ministry making the program massively as a solution to repair youth mental health to form a physically and spiritually healthy generation to welcome Golden Indonesia 2045.

“In its implementation, Olah Rasa program has gone through research involving youth throughout the country. Slowly we are building cooperation in regional areas, both companies and youth communities,” said Kartini.

Read also: ULM-PT Adaro disburse scholarship worth IDR10 billion in 2023

Chancellor of UMB Prof. Khudzafah Dimyati said that universities have a strategic role in involving youth in developing competitive human resources.

“All elements must work together to increase the potential in young people. The problem experienced by youth must be addressed together in order to realize sustainable regional development,” she said.

Meanwhile, the UMB's psychological expert Ceria Hermina provided material on mental health knowledge. She said the collaboration between the Ministry f Youth and Sport, the Hasnur Center, and university to discuss mental health issue in South Kalimantan was very important.

South Kalimantan is one the provices with the fourth lowest IPP in Indonesia in 2023 at 50.17 with a difference of 5.16 with the national IPP and presentage -10,29.

“The mental health program must be more massive so it can be felt by the wider community,” said Ceria.

Representative of Hasnur Center Wawan Prasetyo said Olah Rasa Talkshow at UMB was one of the foundation's main program, namely to realize quality sustainable human resources development.

Read also: South Kalimantan, IPB alumni promote disaster preparedness and mitigation in Banjar
Read also: South Kalimantan committed to create child-friendly tourist destination