Supporting Youth Psychosocial Needs Amidst COVID-19 Global Crisis

As a response to the COVID-19 crisis, USAID YouthPower introduced a special web show to provide support and address the psychosocial needs of youth during the lockdown era. The talk show features specialists with hands-on experience with relevant youth topics and issues. Entitled “Mind Power,” this talk show consists of two parts. The first part showcases the specialists and the show’s host, Tala Mattar, constructively tackling a specific topic. The second part is a live chat conducted via the YouthPower Private Facebook Group page. This has granted youth the opportunity to comment, question, and share their thoughts on the topics addressed on the talk show. Since its launch, “Mind Power” has aired 10 episodes and reached more than 4,000 views and 1,000 engagements.

During June, “Mind Power” had the chance to host an esteemed guest speaker, Dr. Ashraf Salhi in one of its episodes. Dr. Salhi is a very influential psychiatrist and an addiction specialist, and he is also a part-time lecturer at the University of Jordan. Throughout this episode entitled “Am I Depressed?” the host and the guest covered the topic of depression, delving deeply into the signs and symptoms of depression and sadness, as well as how to deal with depression and sadness. The episode granted youth the opportunity to interactively participate and learn about depression as well as how to fight it.

“Mind Power” continues to be a guide that provides youth with psychosocial support needed in the time of the COVID-19 crisis and onwards.