How It Started
As the world rapidly changes, Chairman Stanley Yen noted the internet's convenience has paradoxically diminished young people's interpersonal skills. In 2012, while overseeing the Taitung Junyi School of Innovation, he observed firsthand the detrimental effects of the online realm on adolescents' mental and physical development, self-identity, and social interactions, highlighting the critical need for emotional education in the curriculum. Many rural teachers, young and inexperienced, struggled with understanding students' learning characteristics, managing classrooms, and engaging with parents, making guidance from seasoned educators and professionals crucial.
World Health Organization research indicates depression as a leading global disease in 2020, particularly noted for causing disability and showing an alarming trend towards affecting younger populations. In Taiwan, the suicide rate among adolescents, especially those aged 15 to 24, has seen a significant rise, underscoring the urgent need for effective mental health interventions in schools, where teachers serve as primary guardians of students' wellbeing.
To address adolescent depression, The Alliance Cultural Foundation launched the "Listener Project" podcast in 2016, aiming to equip novice teachers with essential listening and awareness skills. The project seeks to create a supportive environment conducive to their recovery by fostering an understanding of students' emotional states and stresses. The initiative covers a broad range of topics, from "Basic Listening Skills" to "Special Needs and Inclusive Education," encouraging teachers to settle themselves before guiding students to cope with emotional and stress-related challenges.
Mission
- Provide novice teachers with foundational listening concepts and skills to build connections and trust with students, making them confidants for adolescents, guiding them in emotional regulation, and developing inner strength.
- Help children discover hidden emotional stress and seek professional help timely from a preventative perspective, sowing the seeds for mental health.
- Deepen frontline teachers' professional counseling skills and enhance their psychological counseling abilities to mitigate the lack of educational counseling resources, serving as the primary defense for youth mental health.
Understanding the Needs of Special Education Students; Become their Life Coach
Since the "The Listener" program launched in August 2021, the message from the series "Introduction to Special Education" has resonated with many people. The teacher, Freddy Cyu, who recorded this series, had clear ADHD symptoms as a child.
Self-Acceptance, a Necessity to Carry On
The public has unrealistic expectations for teachers and front-line helpers. They take for granted that teachers should always have a mild manner, a cheerful outlook, and the ability to solve all problems. But teachers are human. Over time, such unrealistic expectations can be a burden, cause stress, and eventually become hurtful.
From Resistance to Action: Understanding Stress through The Listener
The Alliance Cultural Foundation (ACF) met psychologist Dr. May Chen after initiating The Listener project. Dr. Chen is most passionate about understanding stress and emotion in a field that covers a wide range of subjects. Whether it is negative stress or emotion, its existence has a purpose.
The Listener: Protecting Youth Mental Health
According to the World Health Organization, depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.
