It was during the civil unrest, South Africa went through mid-July 2021 where the call to support, motivate and prepare a space for self-healing came. Baratang Initiatives took the opportunity to host a psycho-educational virtual online meeting for South African youth. Adapting our work to be presented in a virtual space has been our mission since lockdown 2020. The 200+ attendees, all employed by the same NPO, were from diverse backgrounds and employed in various lines of work. As many participants were experiencing different levels of stress reaction, maintaining consistent work ethic, motivation and attendance were regressing among workers, and according to our brief so were their levels of anxiety. Our session included theoretical material on how trauma affects the mind, body, and feelings and we even shared a few games and exercises they could use to regulate themselves. There were great responses and requests for further engagement especially from youth working in schools.
About the author
Baratang Initiative
A dynamic non-profit organisation responding to the crises in South African schools. Our mission is to positively change the face of education by supporting the growth of healthy school communities; addressing trauma and supporting learners to become healthy, caring and capable human beings.