Get to know Youth Peer Support (Everyday Concerns Support Group).

Basic Information

• Fees Type: Free
• City: Mumbai
• Facilitated By: Mix Of Professionals & Facilitators, Peers
• Languages: English
• Meets: Every Saturday
• Participant Limit: 15
• Support For Young Adults

What is the group about?

"It’s a space for anyone between the age of 18 to 25 years old to join in. They discuss topics that are commonly faced by that age group (eg, expectations, transition, self identity, relationships, etc). It’s a space for the youth to speak freely, share, listen and support one another."

What is your founding story?

"When I started working at Agatsu, we had a lot of college students volunteer with us. They would often come to me to talk, ask for advice, but mostly to feel heard. I realised that more and more would come to me to talk, and most would be facing similar issues. That made us realise the importance of starting a space for the youth to come and share with peers who might be facing similar issues in their life at that moment. It started to become a …"

Who is your group for?

"Peer support for the youth (between the age of 18 to 25). We realised that this age group sees a lot of changes in their life, who they are, where they stand in the world, what are the beliefs they want to keep, they also are affected by different transitions during this period. "

How does one sign up? What’s the coordination process like?

"Any interested members can register through our website. They have to provide us with certain details like name, age and area. They also have to acknowledge the terms and conditions of the peer support post which a member of our staff calls them to explain the general protocols of the peer support. "

Walk us through the average format of your group session.

"We start the session on time. The session is started with the general rules and protocols of the peer support, followed by an introduction of the facilitator and the mental health professional present. We then get started into the topic of the meet. We ask starter questions or prompts that may help members contribute to the conversation. The session last for one hour. In the last five minutes, we conduct a grounding technique to leave people on a …"

What do you hope for participants in your group to take back with them after a session?

"We hope that each participant at the end of the meet feels like they are not alone. They are able to reflect on their own thoughts and actions. That they’re able to better communicate their feelings in a safe environment. "