The organization I volunteered with
was SOS suicide prevention program partnered by Mental Health Screening (https://mentalhealthscreening.org/programs/youth).
They are a non-profit organization that provides educational screening programs
for depression, suicide, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and many more.
Their mission is to, “Educate, raise awareness, and screen individuals for
common behavioral and mental health disorders and suicide” (Screening for
Mental Health).
On February 11, 2015 is the day the
SOS program took place at my former high school Plainfield East. It ran from
7:05 am to the last class period at 2:10pm.
A social worker at Plainfield east
and myself conducted the presentation. Sophomore students at Plainfield East
were the target audience. Each period a new set of sophomores came to listen to
the presentation. Freshmen, juniors and seniors were not allowed in this
presentation.
I kept track of the timing of the
presentation. Each presentation could only last 50 minutes for each class
period. As I got comfortable with the information that had to be delivered in
the presentation I took the initiative to tell some of the suicide stories
provided in the SOS booklet handouts. My leader of the presentation/social
worker presented and delivered all the information giving in the SOS
presentation booklet. She talked about how to save lives, the risk factors, and
got the crowd to participate.
The teachers of the sophomores did
not have a role in the presentation. There only job was to bring all the
sophomores to hear the presentation. I smiled a lot because I was being watched
very often. During each presentation I was introduced as a former student from
the high school and praised for going into the field of social work.
One effective situation that took
place was as I told some suicide stories I gave the audience a chance to ask
any questions or any concerns regarding depression and suicide. The students
began to get very open because they felt we were of somewhat equal. They
trusted me. They did not look at me as a parent or as a teacher they felt that
they could be comfortable with me and I thought that was great. I was able to
get insight on their thoughts and how they felt and that’s what the
presentation was all about. Getting the teens to be open and feel like they
have someone they can trust and confide to.
I learned about teen suicide and
depression at my service. I did not know how much depression and suicide was
linked together and I also did not know a wide number of teens were
experiencing these problems. I’m still confused about what techniques and
presentations are really helping teens. I’m learning what teens need and what
kind of services/resources they need to help them and their depression. I would
do this service again because I know it helped some teens. It got them to talk
and to be open with one another.
