Quality of life division within the family department   Betterment of human lives remains division’s prime mission |25 October 2021

Director general of the quality of life division, Beryl Naiken

The broad meaning of mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order to maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.

With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, other than physical distancing and isolation which can make people feel anxious, stressed and worried, thus impacting on their mental health, the sudden halt in most industries, including retail, hospitality, along with the public service, has also exposed many to unexpected redundancy, forcing them to reorganise their lives.

Such a situation comes with a variety of difficulties, ranging from household bills to negative feelings, including shock, worthlessness, and loss of purpose or confidence.

In such a situation, one needs professional support and encouragement to recover, reflect and refocus so that he/she can bounce back and carry on with life.

In the local context, the quality of life division within the family department of the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports has been mandated with the noble task of helping the affected ones to bounce back and regain their dignity, of course through their own willpower, or determination.

Since inception, the division, under the leadership of director general Beryl Naiken, has been doing its best to enrich the lives of all those who come in need of help through counselling, mentorship, and various empowerment programmes, with its dedicated band of staff always on the move, coming up with sustainable solutions for all our challenges.

The quality of life division consists of two units, precisely the counselling and psychotherapy unit and the programme unit headed by Terry Celeste. The programme unitoperates with the combined effort of three sub-units, namely mentorship, advocacy and prevention, and empowerment.

The counselling and psychotherapy unitunder Beryl Mc Gavin, is equipped with a team comprising counsellors, psychotherapist and psychologist working side by side to ensure that every client walking through the doors of the division walks out feeling heard, safe, and hopeful of their future. 

Despite being divided into various units, the prime mission of the division is to work towards the same goal which is the betterment of human lives.

During the month of September, the division’s programme unit focused on mental health, and the effects of Covid-19, and it started with focussing on how employees have been affected by the new normal. 

According to Mr Celeste, it was observed that many are still struggling to adjust to the new norms, while organisations continue to push their employees to harder limits – keeping up with quotas that no longer apply to the current state of things.

He explained that since the majority of adults spend most of their lives at work,it is nearly impossible for them not to bring their personal problems to their workplaces.

Mr Celeste noted that troubled minds have influence on outwardly function in, subtle changes in behaviours, and performance can be signs of a mentally burdened individual.

He said human resource officers from various organisations were called inas they are the ones who interact with most employees, while being the ones who are often put in positions where they are the target of backlash from employees, even if they are only carrying out given orders.

This, Mr Celeste said, often paints them as the bad guys. 

He added that during the sessions, officers from the department presented the human resource officers a few tips that he said may help, even if they cannot overturn decisions. 

Mr Celeste also added that the human resource officers were urged to focus more on the human aspect of their job and to empathise on softening the hard blows with communications skills and compassion.

He said these sessions were also opportunities to hear from the human resource officers themselves, and their thoughts on the general conception of their offices, and also how they can work with the division to improve working conditions of the workers and themselves.

“Before they can care for others, it is crucial that they take care of themselves as well,” noted Mr Celeste.

Mr Celeste also added that the division intends to continue raising awareness about mental health and wellbeing and to follow through with a second series of sessions that will cater for a second group of participants. 

The goal of such sessions is to improve working conditions, see the change in how employees are handled, and also bring back the human aspect in working organisations across the country.

Other than its handful of staff, the division is also benefitting from the service of 33 part-timers who are lending a hand at district level in achieving the common goal.

Mr Celeste said they are presently busy working on various programmes which will absorb mainly the youth. He is urging for the support of volunteers who feel that they can contribute in making a change in the lives of the youngsters and also help in bringing a change to the community and country as whole.

Contributed by the quality of life division