Stakeholders have proffered ways to intensify the conversation on the critical role that mental wellness plays in the wellbeing of adolescents and young adults in Nigeria.

At an upcoming webinar to herald the fourth edition of the OlSA Foundation’s annual mental wellness conference, tagged “Adolescent Mental Wellness and Resilience in An Unequal World,” behavioral psychologist and life coach, Mr. Lanre Olushola, will lead a team of other discussants in conversation and drawing attention to the increasing issues and challenges of mental health of youths and young adults in Nigeria.

Planned to commemorate the World Mental Health Day, celebrated globally October 10, this year’s edition of the conference will take place at Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, and also on the Zoom video conferencing platform at 9am prompt.

Addressing the media recently on the plans for the conference, the chairperson of OISA Foundation, Mrs. Olapeju Sofowora, noted that, though the twin objectives of creating awareness among parents and caregivers of the mental pressures and challenges facing their children in today’s society and providing practical guidelines to tackling these challenges have been achieved: “The success of the three previous editions of the conference, there remains a lot more to be done to help school administrators, parents, caregivers and children develop a better understanding of the mental issues that negatively influence young people and highlight the mental health services and treatment options that are available.”

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Sofowora also noted that this year’s conference will, among other focus areas, examine: a general overview of adolescent mental health issues,  cultural issues in adolescent upbringing and real-world challenges of dealing with adolescents.

“The need for standardized protocols to identify, evaluate, manage and monitor adolescent mental health issues in secondary schools. Development of mental wellness protocols for schools to adopt and implement.”

The conference, she noted, is free for all participants but registration will be required. Registration can be done at the OISA Foundation’s website: http://www.oisafoundation.