In Latin America and the Caribbean, the mental health of adolescents and young people is in a worrying situation: 16 million live with a diagnosed mental disorder and more than 10 die from suicide every day. To confront this reality, UNICEF launched in Chile and seven other countries in the region the “En mi Mente” podcast and the Our Minds Matter content hub on mental health, inspiring stories and musical playlists for relaxation, concentration and relaxation. dream.
Starting in 2022, Spotify and UNICEF are working to ensure that young people around the world can access trustworthy and engaging mental health content. The Our Minds Matter content hub was first launched in Ukrainian, Polish and English in June 2023, focusing on responding to the urgent mental health needs of young people affected by the war in Ukraine.
The Spanish version, A Healthy Mind Matters, seeks to continue helping to reduce the large gap between the mental health resources that young people need and what is currently available to them. “It is essential that adolescents and young people have the tools that allow them to identify why they may be feeling different emotions and how they can learn to deal with them and face crisis situations,” said Paolo Mefalopulos, UNICEF Representative in Chile. “This program provides tools to raise awareness regarding mental health care, and to expand the networks and platforms that can help save lives.”
UNICEF’s new podcast, “On My Mind”, was co-created between experts and young people and based on evidence about mental health needs. The eight episodes developed for season 1 of the “En Mi Mente” podcast aim to improve knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviors among young people specifically related to their mental health. The podcast focuses on:
Helping young people learn about mental health and how to deal with key issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, loss and grief;
Provide practical tools and resources to support young people facing mental health challenges;
Breaking stigma to support help-seeking behavior among young people and their communities.
The “In my Mind” podcast is divided into 8 episodes:
Episode 1 Let’s talk about mental health
Episode 2: 5 habits to take care of your mental health
Episode 3: Foster Healthy Bonds
Episode 4: 6 tools to manage stress
Episode 5: Talking to loved ones
Episode 6: Self-care in stressful times
Episode 7: 5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety
Episode 8: Coping with Grief and Loss
Spotify is also a member of the Global Coalition for Young People’s Mental Health founded by UNICEF with support from the Z Zurich Foundation. The Coalition is an alliance of partners committed to addressing the growing global burden of mental health in children and youth.
The launch of the “In my Mind” podcast and the “A healthy mind matters” hub is part of UNICEF’s commitment to the mental health of adolescents and young people in Latin America. The organization urges governments, educational communities and families to work together to create safe and conducive environments for the mental well-being of new generations.
For more help, visit www.unicef.org/lac/Ayuda-SaludMental
