UNLOCKING YOUTH WELLNESS

WE all carry mysteries within ourselves.

- DEVRISHI

This complexity amplifies further when it's on our children, grappling with emotions beyond their cognizance and limited means to navigate them. Kindling a better life for these youngsters, The BALM (Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health) with the Sundaram Fasteners Limited unveiled its 4th edition of Lecture Series 2024 on supporting child and adolescent mental health in the context of social disadvantage and parental mental illness, on Monday at the CP Art Center.

Started in 2020, the forum is an annual effort to bring social scientists, mental health professionals, advocates, historians, thought leaders, and policymakers together to spark a discussion on equity, culture, social justice, mental health, and inclusive development.

"We started The Banyan in 1993 with the mission to help homeless mentally ill women across India. Over the years, it has expanded to focus on education, research, policy, and training related to mental health. The series aspires to support the forum's objectives by disseminating knowledge and building stakeholder connections with vulnerable children and families," said Dr Lakshmi Ravikanth, dean, The BALM.