Rise and Thrive Program Team successfully concludes preparatory project design workshop
The Rise and Thrive: Building Resilient Communities through Inclusive Mental Health program in Fiji and the Philippines is a four-year regional program supported by the Australian Government through its Partnerships for a Healthy Region (PHR) initiative. Rise and Thrive aims to develop a model that improves the well-being of people with mental health conditions or psychosocial disability through improved community support, access to services, and systems that reinforce rights, equity, and inclusion. As part of its preparatory phase, the Philippines Project Team composed of lead implementing partner ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI), and co-implementing partner Balik Kalipay Center for Psychosocial Response, Inc. (BKC) underwent a three-day project design workshop. The workshop was facilitated by CBM Australia’s Senior Programme Coordinator Kirsten Bate with support from the Rise and Thrive Programme Team, Sucelle Deacosta, and Kyra Ballesteros. Through the workshop process, the team sought to develop the theory of change, its logical framework, and a collaborative action plan to guide the implementation of the multi-year program over the next four years in the country.
Hands-On Learning, Hands-Off Hazards: Chemical Safety in the Classroom
On June 11, 2024, the EcoWaste Coalition and Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) Centre for Research and Innovation (ACRI) held a seminar at Caloocan High School on chemical safety in classrooms, attended by around 100 teachers and school leaders. Dr. Geminn Louis C. Apostol led a plenary on potential chemical hazards and mitigation strategies, followed by interactive breakout sessions where teachers identified hazards and created educational materials promoting chemical safety. Facilitators, including experts from ACRI and SEAOHUN, supported the discussions. EcoWaste's Sir Manny Calonzo emphasized the risks of heavy metals in tarpaulins, crayons, and markers, advocating for toxic-free materials. The event is part of an ongoing partnership to empower educators in creating safer learning environments for Filipino children.
ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation hosts the Rise and Thrive program team during a three-day GEDSI Workshop
From 10-12 July 2024, the ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) hosted the Rise and Thrive Philippine program team during its comprehensive gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) hybrid workshop and stakeholder consultation. Rise and Thrive: Building Resilient Communities through Inclusive Mental Health is a program of CBM Global Disability Inclusion in Fiji and the Philippines, supported by the Australian Government through Partnerships for a Healthy Region. The program aims to develop and document, by 2028, a model that results in the improved wellbeing of people with mental health conditions or psychosocial disability through improved community support, access to services, and systems that reinforce rights, equity, and inclusion.