Mumbai’s 1st Pro-social Peer Moderator Program on ‘caring for the Environment’ hosted at Fortis Hospitals, Mumbai

Mumbai, 26th November 2019: The Dept. of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, conducted a workshop on ‘caring for the environment’ for the first time in Mumbai today. A part of the Pro-social Peer Moderator Program, students and teachers from 36 schools across Mumbai, were engaged-with through a workshop hosted at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi and SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim. 

The workshop was organized with an aim to identify and enhance an emotional connection between people and their natural world, all while applying lessons from daily skill sets in order to make sustainable life choices. 

Spearheaded by Dr. Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, the workshop witnessed participation from over 230 students & teachers. 

Specially curated for the students of class 9th-11th, the one day workshop followed a peer-mentor model wherein students were given hands-on training to become ambassadors of the environment and conduct similar sessions with fellow students at their respective schools. This was steered through an interactive session that focused on water conservation, importance of reuse & recycle, importance of green cover and digital detox. The participants were given an e-certificate on completion of the program.  

Speaking about the program, Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, said, “As mental health experts, it is our responsibility to use insights from the field of eco-psychology to build awareness and motivate young children to become more empathetic towards the environment. So far we have conducted numerous workshops across India to promote this initiative that engages young minds; they have garnered immensely positive response”. 

Speaking about the program, Dr S Narayani, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai said, “Enabling and empowering young minds is what will help bring a paradigm shift, to build a generation empathetic towards the environment. I am thankful to Dr Parikh and his team, who helped curate and deploy this program that will help shape generations to come”. 

As a part of this workshop, students planted saplings at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi and SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim; students were also encouraged to adopt a plant in the vicinity of their homes or school, take care of it and share its progress on social media platforms to spread more awareness.