Psychological counseling room for teens renovated by Khan Bank Foundation, partner organizations

Society
baljmaa@montsame.gov.mn
2021-06-29 12:47:42

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. To improve learning environments for Mongolian youth, the Khan Bank Foundation supported the renovation of a new psychological counseling room for students of the Polytechnic College of Darkhan-Uul Province, and handed it over to the school’s management on June 6.


At the initiative of the Australian government, the Courage to Change team, participants of the Zorig Foundation’s 2021 Women's Leadership Program, have been working to raise awareness about the psychological problems faced by adolescent boys, one of the most important problems facing society today. In January 2021, the Support Project “Psychological Empowerment of Teenage Boys” and the Khan Bank Foundation supported the renovation of the psychological counseling room.


The Polytechnic College of Darkhan-Uul Province now has a psychological counseling room meeting international standards for students aged 14 to 18, helping them solve their psychological problems, creating a healthy and safe environment, and sharing advice and information.


Bulgan S., leader of the Courage to Change team, said, "Depression among adolescent boys is high, and the number of boys enrolled in colleges has declined in recent years. Furthermore, negative impacts on men's participation in society, their outlook on life, and their sense of purpose and ambition depends on these underlying causes. We started this project because we think it's important to do social work for men, especially teenage boys. As part of the project, we worked with specific goals, such as hiring a professional psychologist at the Polytechnic College of Darkhan-Uul Province, solving personnel problems, renovating the counseling room, carrying out risk behavior research for young boys, organizing personality development training, and creating a social advocacy campaign. We’re glad that despite the six-month pandemic lockdown, the project was successfully implemented remotely with the help of many organizations and individuals, especially with the support of Khan Bank Foundation. As a result, the psychological counseling room was completely renovated and handed over to the Polytechnic College of Darkhan-Uul Province."


Mandakhmyagmar M., manager of the Khan Bank Foundation, said, “Another reason for our attention to this project is that 47 percent of all students at the Polytechnic College of Darkhan-Uul Province come from rural areas. Therefore, we also looked at the dimensions of this project. Psychological education and health are especially important for young people during this time. This remotely funded project became a reality and the furnished room was handed over. I was very encouraged to hear speeches from teens who are being interviewed by a psychologist. Due to COVID-19, they provide online training and counseling for teens who cannot go to school. We are happy to have supported the project, because the project team solved the problem of finding a psychologist and carried out the selection process in cooperation with specialized organizations in order to ensure the project’s sustainability. I want this counseling room, funded by the Khan Bank Foundation, to serve as the basis for other colleges and schools having psychologists and counseling rooms.


M. Oyundari: “Children living in dormitories have various problems, especially in the first year. For example, homesickness, quarreling with peers, loneliness, etc. That’s why it’s necessary to talk to someone, to calm down, to get professional psychological advice.”


T. Tuguldur: “Last week, I talked to a psychologist for the first time. I talked openly with her about some things I had never even told my parents and my friends. I liked that the conversation was confidential. I wish there were psychologists at many other schools, not only ours. I think society will be better then."


N. Munkhjargal: “All the students at our school have been studying general psychology, so there’s no need to mock or shame someone. It's nice to talk with a psychologist. "


Since its establishment in 2007, the Khan Bank Foundation has been successfully implementing projects to improve the learning environment for children and youth, the future owners of the land. Many projects have been implemented, such as renovating a student workshop at Ulaanbaatar’s School No. 25, creating an environment for children to learn about nature and wildlife at the Nairamdal International Children’s Complex, and equipping two Khangai and Gobi-themed classrooms at Nairamdal.


Source: khanbank.com