News and Events

Sichuan Disaster: Key Messages Widely Endorsed

In the wake of the tragedy of the Sichuan earthquake, key messages to protect children’s mental health in disasters developed by NIMH China and AAMH have received widespread praise from front-line staff and volunteers in Sichuan. 

 

In 2007, an AusAID-funded team of key mental health experts from Peking University Institute of Mental Health and Asia-Australia Mental Health formulated a set of ten key messages to assist communities in China manage children's mental health post disaster. A “train the trainer” program to disseminate the messages was then produced, piloted and evaluated for teachers and community leaders in Beijing and Hangzhou (read more).

 

Since the earthquake struck, in excess of 100,000 copies of the easy-to-follow and practical key messages have been distributed to communities in Sichuan. The guidelines are also available via the Ministry of Health’s disaster website.

 

Teachers and community leaders trained when the messages were piloted in schools last year are currently volunteering in Sichuan and are regarded as “on-the-ground” experts in psychological first aid for children. They are heavily involved in training others to disseminate the key information.

 

UNICEF and UNESCO have since recognized the guidelines as a simple, highly effective method of protecting children’s mental health. In addition, The National Working Committee for Women and Children (NWCCW) under the State Council and the Ministry of Civil Affairs China plans to promote the key messages and expand the train-the-trainer program to schools and communities across China.

 

You can listen to A/Prof Chee Ng and Ms Julia Fraser, Co-Directors, AAMH talking about the disaster project in Sichuan on the Australian radio program LifeMatters.

 

The Vice Chancellor of Melbourne University and Chair of the 2020 Summit, Prof. Glyn Davis, recently praised the efforts of AAMH for their contribution in protecting the post-disaster mental health of the children of Sichuan. View the Vice Chancellor's comments.

 

A/Prof. Chee Ng, Co-Director of AAMH, recently gave a speech outlining the achievements of the Protecting Children in Disasters project in Sichuan. Read A/Prof. Ng's speech.

 

You can view further information about this project on the Protecting Children in Disasters and China pages.

 

 

Chee Ng with Chinese Advisory group for Protecting Children in Disasters project

 

A/Prof. Chee Ng (Co-Director, AAMH) with members of the Chinese working group for the Protecting Children in Disasters project