The Youth Mental Health Advocates (YMHA) Bootcamp, 2022, had a celebratory culmination with a grand graduation ceremony at Ramada by Wyndhyam, Gurugram.

Ms. Seema Rekha, Managing Director at Antarmanh Consulting and Miss Priyanka Bajaj, Guest of Honor with the other advocates and parents of the bootcamp

Recycling happiness is a recurring program of Antarmanh under which multiple programs for school students, underprivileged classes, working population, parents and other sections of the society have been conducted across the globe. The YMHA bootcamp is one such step by Antarmanh for the senior school students. The month-long program had the aim to create awareness around the mind, the body, emotions and relationships for the teenagers who struggle with these issues the most. The program entailed skill based training around these areas, reflections and interventions towards the concerns of the student attendees and thereafter a small research where the young advocates designed research tools and conducted interviews with samples from the teenage population targeting Emotional Regulation as the theme. The bootcamp was attended by students from eminent schools like DPS-Gurgaon, Delhi Public School International Edge , The Asian School, Manav Rachna International School etc.

The program came to an end with the completion and compilation of the research study conducted by the young advocates which concluded with the result that 100 percent of the teenagers interviewed and collected data from had concerns with managing emotions. With this experiential knowledge and support of their psychologist mentors, the bootcamp advocates designed a workshop which they organized and conducted on the day of their graduating.

The Graduation ceremony was attended by the student advocates, their families, teenage students from the senior school and esteemed psychologists from team Antarmanh, along with Director Antarmanh Ms. Seema Rekha. The occasion was graced by the Guest of Honor, Miss Priyanka Bajaj who is a certified Counseling Psychologist, an active member of AISCAP and Expressions India and a Life Skills Trainer having 15+ years of experience in the field of counseling students and parents.

Miss Priyanka Bajaj, Guest of Honor, mentioned, "Where WHO is stating that mental health concerns are going to pose as a bigger pandemic than COVID-19, such bootcamps are absolutely vital preventive measures."

The graduation ceremony entailed reflective games, Art based therapy session, group discussion, project presentation and performance by students as well. The student graduates (online and offline) and workshop participants were felicitated by the guest of honor. Co-founder Antarmanh, Mr. Kumar Maneesh felicitated the guest of honor.

Towards the end, the Ms. Seema Rekha, Managing Director at Antarmanh Consulting addressed the gathering and said, "Mental health concerns surely impact all around the individual, their friends, family, locality, school and entire vicinity. Empathy is the only humanitarian tool that can help us all to manage it."

The event was praised by the parents, guardians and also school teachers and the Principals as well where they encouraged the efforts put in by the young advocates and that of the organization for investing in such a mindful cause.