We seek your support to implement a year-long mental health program focused on building emotional resilience among adolescents in both schools and colleges. In schools, the program aims to provide continuous support to students throughout the academic year. It will begin with orientation sessions for teachers to help them identify and respond to students’ mental health needs. A pre-test will be conducted to establish a baseline of students' emotional well-being, followed by the use of qualitative tools to understand the academic, social, and personal challenges they face. The core of the program includes five structured digital modules that raise mental health awareness and teach emotional regulation and stress management techniques. Individual counseling will be offered to students who need additional support, and schools will be guided in setting up regular counseling systems to ensure sustained access to mental health care.

In colleges, the program will include interactive workshops on campus to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote open conversations around mental health. These sessions will equip young adults with practical tools to manage stress and take care of their emotional well-being. Funds raised will support training, content development, counseling services, and long-term mental health infrastructure in educational institutions, helping students thrive both emotionally and academically.

Appeal

Centre for Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBC3) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to shifting deep-rooted social norms and behaviors through evidence-based Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategies. Our mission is to design and implement impactful interventions that bring about long-term positive change in communities.

We work primarily in two key areas: ending child marriage and adolescent mental health.
Our flagship intervention to address child marriage is the SAKSHUM Project which is being implemented in 12 child marriage high prevalence districts in Maharashtra, in partnership with UNCIEF and the Dept. of Women and Child Development, Govt of Maharashtra and district administrations. Through this initiative, we use a evidence based social and behavior change communication approach to engage with adolescent girls and boys, their parents, frontline functionaries in the villages, child protection functionaries, community leaders, and officials of the key departments involved to address the social and structural factors that perpetuate early marriage and strengthen systems for child protection.

Our second major area of work focuses on promoting mental and emotional well-being among adolescents through our Energetix program. This school-based initiative equips students with practical life skills such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, and stress management. It aims to build resilience, improve mental health, and empower students to navigate their challenges more effectively.

By combining research, community engagement, and behavior change models, SBC3 strives to foster healthier, more empowered communities across Maharashtra.