Padmavati Prabhu
Panaji
To address the mental and social health needs of adolescents through a combination of physical activity and socio-emotional skill-building, NGO Sangath is implementing the MeWeSports programme in five schools across the state.
Dr Urvita Bhatia, Research Fellow at Sangath and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that substance use concerns among Indian youth are rising at an alarming pace.
“Adolescence is a critical period in which exposure to adversities can have long-term emotional and socio-economic impact. Roughly, half of all mental health problems emerge before the age of 25 years. Mental health problems and substance use and misuse are co-morbid in adolescents and associated with adverse outcomes later in life, for example self-harm and suicide. Substance use is typically established during adolescence, a period of peak risk for onset and intensification of substance use behaviours with short- and long-term harm to health,” she said.
Bhatia said prevention efforts remain limited and mostly confined to education and awareness campaigns.
“These efforts have a weak evidence base and restricted reach, leaving a large gap in support and services. This reality underscored the urgent need for evidence-based prevention programmes that are scalable, sustainable and rooted in the lived realities of young people. Accordingly, Mental Wellbeing and Sports (MeWeSports) was conceptualised and developed,” she said.
Sangath has partnered with the Diocesan Society of Education (DSE) and Forca Goa Foundation to roll out the programme.
“Our sessions combine informative content, structured sports activities and contextually relevant discussion prompts, supported by visually engaging materials like infographics, handouts, and worksheets,” said Sanchita Jain, Program Coordinator at
Sangath.
MeWeSports also engages parents and teachers.
Bhatia said their long-term vision is for young people to experience play, reflection, and positive support as pathways to healthier lifestyles, helping them manage difficult emotions constructively while building resilience for themselves and their communities.
