Knowing the young minds

Academic tension, peer pressure, drug and alcohol abuse and suicides — terms we often associate with adolescents.

But if Lions Club International has the way, one will be easily able to forget the pangs of growing up and enjoy life as it is.

With suicide cases on the rise in the capital, members of Lions Club International have come forward to help adolescents handle pressure in a better manner. Under the Lions Quest programme, club members will host counselling sessions in the last week of May and has roped in counsellors like Ratna Choudhary and Poonam Raj.

Guardians, teachers and of course, schoolchildren will attend the sessions. However, the venue has not been finalised yet.

Speaking to The Telegraph about the reasons behind organising the counselling camps, the club’s district (322A) governor Rahul Verma said: “Students in the age group of 14 to 16 years will be our main target. They are confused and easily get misguided. Parents are also unable to give them enough time. Hence, we thought of organising such sessions.”

Books will also be distributed among the children. Starting from Ranchi, Lions Club International will hold similar programmes at other cities.

“By counselling the young minds, we will help them become responsible citizens and also assist them in taking right decisions. We will also be able to understand and assess their needs,” added Verma.

As part of plans for the entire year, the club members will cater to other needs of the adolescents. Hygiene, nutrition, literacy and so on top the list. Apart from these programmes, the club’s agenda for 2012-2013 includes opening three vision care centres in Jharkhand.