Q&A
Existing student-led wellness initiatives in schools
0:27:21
·
161 sec
Council Member Linda Lee inquires about existing student-led wellness initiatives in schools. Amalia Orman, the Student Voice Manager at NYC Public Schools, provides insights on student-driven mental health initiatives and their frequency, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Students have been initiating wellness clubs at their schools, particularly during and after COVID
- The Chancellor's Student Advisory Council created a handout on starting youth-led mental health initiatives
- Young people tend to gravitate towards supportive adults in their school, who may or may not have clinical associations
- Students also advocate for more mental health professionals in their schools
Linda Lee
0:27:21
me let me take 2 steps back because this may already be in existence, just maybe not formally in this fashion.
0:27:27
But are there schools currently that you have where students social worker mental health professional already located in the school, and students actually go to the principal or administrators and say, hey.
0:27:34
We wanna start this wellness club.
0:27:35
Like, have there been incidences of that?
0:27:37
And maybe we could use that also as a model for this type of pilot project.
0:27:44
We could use that also as a model for this type of pilot project.
Dr. Erica Lynne Smith
0:27:48
So I invite my colleague from New York City Public Schools, Amalia Arman.
0:27:52
And she speaks so wonderfully about student voice to sort of respond to that.
Linda Lee
0:27:57
I would think the best ones are student driven and led.
0:28:00
So
Dr. Erica Lynne Smith
0:28:00
Yes.
0:28:00
No.
0:28:01
And they come up with such great ideas.
0:28:03
We we have implemented other programs that they've come
Linda Lee
0:28:05
up with.
0:28:06
So Okay.
0:28:07
Perfect.
UNKNOWN
0:28:14
Sorry, before you begin, I just need to swear you in.
0:28:16
Sure.
0:28:23
Please raise your right hand.
0:28:26
Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in your testimony before this committee and to respond honestly to council member questions?
0:28:34
I do.
0:28:34
Thank you.
0:28:35
You may begin.
Amallia Orman
0:28:36
Okay.
0:28:38
Good morning.
0:28:38
My name is Amalia Orman and, yeah, I'm the student voice manager at New York City Public Schools Office of Safety and Youth Development.
0:28:46
And I love your question about can we model some pilots after young people, raising this idea of having a wellness club at their school.
0:28:57
In my experience listening to youth, this does happen frequently, especially during COVID and post COVID.
0:29:04
Actually, I run also so I have this role as student voice manager and I listen to students all the time, but I also run a program specifically called the Chancellor's Student Advisory Council.
0:29:14
A couple years ago, we made a handout called how to start a youth led mental health Initiative at Your School.
0:29:20
Because this was happening a lot and I do think it's a great model when you can, back young people's ideas and form initiatives that way.
0:29:29
So, yes, this has been happening.
Linda Lee
0:29:30
And just really quickly, so, because I know the bill is talking about involving mental health professionals in those clubs, and so are they currently there now or are they just purely student led?
Amallia Orman
0:29:41
I don't know that I could answer that for certain, but just anecdotally, I think that young people gravitate towards supportive adults in their school that may or may not have a clinical association.
0:29:53
Might be a SAPS counselor, might be a guidance counselor, but, I would say that young people also advocate for more mental health professionals in their school.
0:30:02
Nice.
