All Hands On Deck: NSNHS Personnel Deliver Immediate Psychosocial Aid to Earthquake-Affected Students

Following the recent earthquake events, a targeted Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MPHSS) initiative was deployed to assist affected learners. Crucially, the intervention was designed and executed as a self-paced, offline exercise (the “Post-Quake Connection Map”), allowing participants to engage remotely and individually. This decentralized strategy ensured immediate emotional care delivery without dependence on a physical group setting.

Target Group

Key Stage 3–4 Learners (Grades 7–12)

Activity Description

The “Post-Quake Check-In” is a 30- to 45-minute self-paced activity focused on three core areas:

  1. Body: Identifying and acknowledging physical sensations (tension, relaxation, etc.) post-event.
  2. Breath: Utilizing simple breathing techniques for self-regulation and emotional balance.
  3. Support: Mapping out and recognizing personal coping strategies and external sources of support (people and resources).

Key Objectives and Outcomes

ObjectiveOutcome/Impact
Foster Self-Awareness & Self-RegulationActivity encouraged learners to connect mind and body, promoting internal stability and emotional control after a traumatic event.
Promote Psychological HealingProvided a structured framework to process trauma, helping to normalize feelings of fear and anxiety among the participants.
Develop Resilience and Problem-SolvingGuided learners to identify existing coping mechanisms and external support networks, enhancing their sense of security and preparedness.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The implementation of the self-paced “Post-Quake Connection Map” successfully provided a broad base of immediate psychosocial support. The individual reports generated by the learners—detailing their emotional and physical state—will now be utilized for a critical follow-up phase. The collected data will be analyzed to triage and facilitate necessary individual counseling referrals for any student exhibiting signs of persistent, significant distress, ensuring continuous support for the holistic well-being of the entire student population.