Dhur first addressed the significant increase in demands for psychological support, which first began to appear at the beginning of the year. She compared the situation to that of a marathon, a long-term effort where spirits tend to stay high at the beginning, before facing substantial problems towards the longer it takes. And unlike a marathon, the pandemic has no clear finish line.
The winter months were thus especially problematic for children, as is often the case with adults. On top of that, many voiced concerns over their uncertain academic futures.
At the moment, the CDSE is struggling to cope with the number of people seeking assistance. Waiting lists eventually had to be established. The institution also lacks the necessary infrastructure to increase their capacities.
For the moment, employees thus visit new contacts right away to better determine what kind of help people need, explain that they may have to wait for assistance, and provide initial support.
Even if the pandemic could be solved from one day to the next, that would not mean that all these problems would magically disappear in the same way, Dhur emphasised. In many cases, the problems predate the pandemic, but have even been worsened by restrictions. Nevertheless, the CDSE director expressed her confidence that children themselves may be able to persevere better than adults might think.
Anxiety is the sensation that marks our times, Dhur further explained during the interview. She referred to human nature as being focused on survival, but simultaneously dependent on the strength of the herd, or, in this case, society.
Being forced into isolation may therefore very well reinforce existing anxieties, the CDSE director noted. The underlying human aspect of companionship has moved into the virtual sphere, if it has moved anywhere at all.
It is of upmost importance that adults have an open ear and listen to problems once they occur, Dhur emphasised. There are techniques than can be used to fight anxiety attacks. The Centre for Socio-Emotional Development has designed a respective brochure with useful advice, which were sent out to teachers across the country. The content is designed to be taught in class alongside other subjects.
Equally important as mental exercises is physical exercise, Dhur added. Even before the pandemic, the rate of children getting enough exercise was too low. CDSE therefore introduced the “Clever Move” project, which incentivised teachers to integrate 20 minutes of physical exercise into their daily schedules.
At the moment, it looks like there are still children who are not interested in returning to the sports they practiced before the pandemic began. Of course it is unsurprising that a certain amount of comfort has developed over the lockdown period, but that tendency needs to be countered to the benefit of everyone, Dhur stated.
Focus should not alone be put on catching up on missed lessons, but rather on how to better cope with stressful or emotional situations. Practice makes perfect, the CDSE director emphasised.
The pandemic has taken a great toll on young people, but they behaved commendably throughout and deserve our gratitude. Dhur finally concluded that another positive outcome from the health crisis is the rediscovered value of nature as a resource for positive energy.
