The Cahaya Youth Symposium: Symbol of Hope was an event held on 10-11th of September 2021 whereby participants learnt how to deal with delicate situations. This two-day event consisted of various activities that helped to develop hands-on skills when faced with suicidal individuals. The activities ranged from talks with professionals to roleplay sessions.
DAY 1: 10th September 2021
The opening of our youth symposium session was done by our mc Terrence Hugo, he explained to us the aim of MMN and gave us a quick intro about MMN. Our main goal is to create a mental health awareness and mind matters club in every primary and secondary school in Malaysia.
Our guest of honour, Dato’ Binti Rajasegaran, gave us an enlightening speech about youth empowerment. A safety officer was also assigned throughout the whole event in case anyone felt uncomfortable
The first activity of the day was a screening of the film, Suicide Game, produced by My Mind On Film (MMOF). The film illustrated the various sides of depression as well as other negative feelings that anyone could experience. It also highlighted how different people can have different support systems and coping mechanisms in response to those negative emotions.
Following the film screening, the next activity was a suicide myth-busting session that took place on Kahoot. Participants were shown a series of common suicide myths and then asked to choose if the myth was true or false. Professor Philip George was invited to help debunk these common myths. Through this activity, many of the participants were able to further their knowledge and identify the common misconceptions of suicide.
The last activity of the day was a talk by Mr. Justin Victor on recognizing suicidal behaviours and how to respond accordingly. This activity provided participants the basic knowledge on how to approach and assist someone who displayed suicidal behaviours.
Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) event was held at the scenic Agrotek Garden Resort, Hulu Langat. Picture 85 vibrant and dynamic individuals, aged 18-25, coming together for two days packed with workshops designed to unlock their full employability potential.
Bringing together a group of like-minded youth, Mind Matters Network (MMN) kickstarted their inaugural Mental Health Literacy Programme at Stella Maris International School on May 13, 2023.
HELP University hosted a transformative event where participants came together for a Psychological First Aid (PFA) training program. NCMW collaborated with MMN, HELP University, KKM, and Rotary Malaysia to equip participants with tools to provide immediate support during crises. Inspiring speeches, interactive sessions, and practical exercises empower attendees to make a positive difference in mental well-being.
DAY 2 – 11th September 2021
The opening of our youth symposium conjunction session was done by the co-hosts Salahaddin and Sharrada. Our guest of honor, Paun Siti Subaidah, gave us a warm speech about mental health and taking care of our health. Like day 1, a safety officer was assigned throughout the whole event in case anyone felt uncomfortable
Tea buddies podcast was hosted by our hosts Salahaddin and Dr. Alvin ng. The title of the podcast was “Fighting Suicide With Friendship”. In this podcast, Dr.Alvin helped us understand better the role of friendship and how to help our suicidal friends. He also spoke about, sense of belonging, a feeling of belonging in society, and expectations.
Dr. Alvin allowed our participants to express their views on friendship and those with suicidal thoughts. He also helped us understand and learn how to reach out to our friends and teachers, as well as how do we take care of ourselves while approaching a suicidal friend. This podcast was a great experience as it taught us how to take care of ourselves and our friends or those close to us dealing with suicidal thoughts.
In the roleplay session, participants were broken up into different breakout rooms that had a professional and a facilitator each. Different scenarios were provided in each breakout room and the participants were given the opportunity to practice their skills on how to help a suicidal friend. Everyone was given the opportunity to speak up in their respective breakout rooms, and the trained professional also gave feedback on their performance.
The final activity of the day was a session where Dr. Andrew answered some of the questions from the participants. In this discussion, Dr. Andrew provided helpful information on various situations, such as how to react if the suicidal individual responds differently.
Overall the youth symposium was a success gave the community great value and insight into breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.
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Who Are You?
Currently a 3rd year medical student at the Australian National University.
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Passionate, Hardworking, Kind
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“What is meant for you will always be yours”
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It is a platform for youth to voice out, be heard and taken seriously. A safe space for like minded people to network and express themselves freely.
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