Jamshedpur, April 6: A survey conducted by Tata Steel Family Initiative Foundation (TSFIF) on teen health in the city has mooted the idea of setting up a helpline and eventually a counselling centre exclusively for the youth in the city.

?The idea of the helpline and centre is to help adolescents sort out problems related to sex, drugs, alcohol, exam-related stress and peer pressure, primarily because these issues are not properly discussed in families,? said Anamika Sarma, manager, TSFIF. And they have the students? vote in this matter as 9I per cent feel they would prefer a channel that allows them to address these issues.

Officials of the social service and family initiative department are working on the details of the helpline. ?We are working on the details of the participating organisations. This is still in the form of an idea,? said Shakti Sarma, head, Social Service and Family Initiative. Around 1,700 students from 30 schools in Jamshedpur and neighbouring areas were asked questions related to sexual health, usage and abuse of drugs and alcohol, in the survey. Sex and sexual health are commonly talked about issues among friends.

Sixty-three per cent students admitted they talked about sex and sexuality, 34 per cent said they never discussed it and 3 per cent were undecided.

Seventy-eight per cent of the students preferred talking to friends on the topic while only a mere 22 per cent felt comfortable talking to parents.

The survey helped TSFIF realise that the schools and homes were not being able to address the issue. Similarly where about 59 per cent students discussed drugs and alcohol, discussions are held mostly among friends.

?These are delicate issues and we realised during the survey that teenagers were getting all inputs from friends and media. The youth of the city are aware that counselling helps but do not have a concrete helpline or counselling centre,? Sarma said.

?There is a lot of unanswered queries that bother the younger generation. Since it showed in the survey that parents, in majority of the cases, were kept out of teen talks, there is a need for trained counsellors. Our plans are still in the nascent stage but we will make it a success,?said Sarma.

Schools too are welcoming the step initiated by TSFIF. Vijayam Kartha, director, Kerala Public School Trust, said, ?Schools have counselling centres but the students restrict themselves to examination and home problems. Drugs and sex does not feature as a part of the conversation.?