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Online course: Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Adolescents Affected by Conflict

This course is titled “Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Adolescents Affected by Conflict” and is designed for practitioners who work on programmes that target or include adolescents and their caregivers affected by the war in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. The purpose of this course is to increase your understanding of adolescent development, focusing on their mental health and psychosocial wellbeing and how to effectively support them and their caregivers in a humanitarian context. Although the course has been developed for the Ukrainian context, it can be relevant for other contexts.

How will I benefit from this course?

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe some challenges and risks adolescents and caregivers face in conflict settings.  
  • Identify appropriate methods of supporting adolescents and caregivers. 
  • Recognise practical tools on how to support adolescents and caregivers in conflict settings.  

How long will it take?

This course will take 2 to 3 hours in total. 

How much does it cost?

This course is free! 

Will I get a certificate at the end?

Yes – this course provides a certificate of completion after each module and one digital badge when all required activities have been completed. 

Course review:

Module 1: Who are adolescents? Inside the adolescent brain 

In this module you will learn: 

  1. What mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, and psychosocial support are. 
  2. What healthy and normal adolescent development includes. Here we will talk about the adolescent brain and what changes take place in the mind and body when a young person transitions from childhood to adolescence. 
  3. How those changes affect their physical and biological, emotional, cognitive, and social development and how these changes impact mental health and wellbeing. 

Module 2: Protective factors for adolescents and their strengths 

In this module you will learn: 

  1. What we mean by circles of support for adolescents. 
  2. How to identify examples of protective factors for adolescent wellbeing at the different levels of the socio-ecological model. 

Module 3: Risks and challenges faced by adolescents affected by conflict 

In this module you will learn about: 

  1. What risks and challenges adolescents face during times of peace and during conflict and displacement. 
  2. How conflicts can impact adolescents’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. 
  3. How to identify groups of adolescents with specific needs and challenges they may face during conflict. 

Module 4: Creating a protective environment: structures and systems 

In this module you will learn about: 

  1. MHPSS assessments and service mapping for adolescents and their caregivers. 
  2. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) pyramid of MHPSS interventions in humanitarian settings. 
  3. What can be done to protect and promote adolescents’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing on each level of the socioecological model.   

Module 5: Working with adolescents and caregivers

In this module you will learn about: 

  1. The socio-ecological model in providing support at individual, family, community and systems level. 
  2. The principles which promote and protect the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of adolescents. 
  3. How to apply knowledge about the IASC MHPSS intervention pyramid with examples of interventions and activities at each layer. 
  4. How to identify signs of distress and to make safe referrals where needed. 

Module 6: Promoting peer networks and support at schools and within communities

In this module you will learn about: 

  1. To understand that supportive relationships and networks with parents, caregivers, teachers and peers have been shown to protect children from the adverse impacts of conflict.  
  2. To understand the importance of mapping existing peer networksin planning peer support for adolescents. 
  3. To learn how to facilitate a mapping exercise with adolescents to develop new opportunities for peer networks. 
  4. To access materials that provide practical guidance in building peer support in schools and community settings.