Building Possibilities, Even from the Unknown
At Wang Nuea Wittaya School, Lam Pang, the Guidance classroom has been turned into a counseling center where students open up about their problems. Representatives have won a national youth counseling contest, and the police, the hospital, and the community all take part in this mental health project. This was made possible by 'Friend,' Chaiyawin Sutthiboon, Alumnus cohort 8.
“Mental health has been an overlooked issue for many, especially students. It is often because the individual isn’t aware of their mental state, so getting them to accept it is the crucial first step.”
Friend was an art therapist with a post-graduate degree in counseling, specializing in art therapy, before joining Teach For Thailand.
“I have seen many kids coming for therapy, most of them are victims of issues that go even deeper, and there are many more who still lack access to mental health services in the first place. I wanted to see how I could help and joined Teach For Thailand.”
But working as a teacher is not the same as a counselor. “Being a teacher is huge and crucial. Not only are you improving a child’s knowledge, but there are many other aspects, such as analyzing their characteristics and knowing when to challenge them.”
The Counseling Center is a collaboration between Friend, the school’s Guidance teacher, the Head of the Social Study department, and the school director. Back in 2022, Friend started by matching his expertise with the school’s lack of mental health service personnel, then invited teachers who share the same vision to join and help promote the idea.
With students booking counseling sessions, some even help with scheduling, the idea seems well-received so far.
“I wouldn’t say my workload increased because I’d only allow myself half a day in the Center. It also helps with my classrooms as students become more connected and open with me. They can learn more with their minds cleared and feeling understood.”
Friend remarks that many of his students don’t have a goal in life.
“For many, there are only doctors, engineers, and architects, and it surprises them how many choices they actually have, such as content creators. They might end up as one of the original three, but they need to see all the options.”
During his third semester, Friend expanded the Counseling Center towards the community, bridging the school, the police, and the hospital to work together.
“Mental health is an issue that needs a holistic and collaborative solution from all sides, but they haven’t been connected,” Friend explains, “and to many, ‘counseling’ is still a foreign concept, which is why many of the issues went unnoticed.”
With the collaboration, the community changed. The Counseling Center established a universal form, which can be used with the Center and as evidence for hospitalization. School teachers have also become more understanding towards their students.
Friend also recalled another achievement: Wang Nuea Wittaya’s student representatives had won the Youth Counselor Contest, a part of the 70th Student Arts and Crafts Competition in Nan.
“The campaign aimed to find student leaders who could survey, give advice, and provide basic mental health evaluation for other students, before handing the case to teachers.”
“And we won a national silver, both junior and high school.”
The success of the Center and the contest had led to all classrooms in Wang Nuea Wittaya School having one representative who checks in with their peers and keeps an eye on everyone’s mental health. The two contestants had also discovered their passion and pursued psychology in their further studies.
As for Friend, he aims to become a full-time psychologist at Phayao Hospital to expand on his Counselor Center project or remain as a consultant for other TFT Fellows.
“It has been a new, but impactful, two-year journey of creating something from the needs people weren’t aware of, but it turned out to be a sustainable change. Being a Fellow gives you the benefit of having an outsider’s stance, which can be used to mobilize the younger generations going forward.”
