Fiersa (10) is a 5th-grade student in Bandung, West Java. She and her classmates have been participating in psychosocial support sessions through art activities guided by their teacher for the past few months. These activities utilize the Healing and Education through the Arts (HEART) method developed by Save the Children.
In HEART, children like Fiersa are engaged in activities for relaxation and self-expression. Prior to this, teachers were trained by the program team, including psychologists, to guide these activities for their students in class.
Fiersa shared that he has been attending HEART sessions since the second semester of grade 4. Initially, she felt both happy and uncertain because it was something new for her. She vividly remembers when Mrs. Diana, the physical education teacher and one of the HEART facilitators, asked Fiersa and her friends to imagine themselves picking fruit from a tree. She chose to draw an apple because it’s her favorite fruit.
“I’m happy because I’m learning something I’ve never tried before. So, what I couldn’t do before, I can now draw, paint, and make (sculptures out of) clay. I’m happy because I can learn something new,” explained Fiersa.
“Choosing the HEART class is fun. I love painting, usually landscapes. I hadn’t painted before, only after this program, I started to like it,” she continued.
Fiersa is enthusiastic about the sessions. She feels that HEART has helped her develop skills she had never attempted before. She wasn’t very good at drawing before, but now, Fiersa loves it. After school, she often opens his sketchbook and draws his favorite animals. Now, Fiersa has found a new hobby.
“At first, it was in grade 4 if I remember correctly. Initially, I felt happy, hesitant, trying something new, a bit confused. At first, the teacher came, introduced the HEART program and asked us to imagine first. We closed our eyes, imagined, and then after that, we drew it. Mrs. Diana was the one who came at the beginning she’s the PE (Physical Education) teacher,” Fiersa narrated.
“I’ve become better at drawing, I enjoy it now. So when I come home, I often open my sketchbook and draw. I didn’t like drawing before, but now I enjoy it because of this. Usually at home, I draw animals, sometimes fish, and other cute animals because they are cute, and I love animals,” she continued.
According to Fiersa, other children who haven’t tried visual arts activities, should also try painting and drawing. Visual arts have given her a new hobby and helped her cope with stress. Fiersa admitted to feeling happier and more enthusiastic.
“Friends should try visual arts because you can learn something new. It’s enjoyable and helps reduce stress. It just makes you happier,” Fiersa explained.
Linda (42), one of the teachers and facilitators, shared that at the beginning of implementing HEART, many children were still not used to it. Some students seemed lazy to participate in the program. However, there were also enthusiastic students. After four months, children started to get used to the HEART sessions, and more students became eager to participate.
“At the beginning, the children weren’t used to it. When it was the second or third time, especially during relaxation exercises, they became enthusiastic. Kids will be kids, some are enthusiastic, some are noisy, and some are lazy. But as time goes by, they are getting used to it. When the children see the art materials from Save the Children, they get excited. They ask, ‘What is this, Miss? What are we going to do with this?’ They can’t wait actually,” Linda explained.
Diana, Linda, and two other teachers from the same school attended the HEART training sessions conducted by Save the Children and Yayasan PULIH at the end of 2022. This training was designed to raise awareness among various stakeholders, including teachers, regarding the psychological well-being of children through the implementation of HEART sessions. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused various negative impacts, one of which is mental health disturbances among both children and adults.
Linda shared that her first experience with HEART training was delightful because it introduced a new approach and introduced art as a means for the psychological recovery of children post-pandemic. Currently, she and her three fellow teachers have been facilitators for almost 4 months for the 4th and 5th-grade students.
“There are many benefits. Children now have facilities for art, allowing them to explore more because the materials sent by Save the Children support art activities. Previously, the school didn’t provide such things. Now, children recognize, ‘Oh, there are brushes and paints.’ Before, the school didn’t facilitate it, the kids only had crayons and colored pencils,” explained Linda.
The HEART sessions are part of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Program conducted by Save the Children in collaboration with Yayasan Pulih in Jakarta and Bandung, with support from Johnson & Johnson. This program specifically accompanies elementary and middle school children, as well as their teachers, to improve their mental health, especially post COVID-19 pandemic. As we know, during the pandemic, offline school meetings were suspended for several months, impacting the quality of education and the mental health of the children.
In the HEART sessions, teachers are trained in relaxation techniques to be used as a form of mental and psychosocial support for the students. The hope is that this program can enhance the mental health of children and raise awareness among various stakeholders, including families (parents), teachers (schools), mental health professionals (at the community level), communities or social organizations, and even the government as an institution. The aim is to collaborate to fulfill the psychological well-being of children optimally.