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The initiative, developed jointly with the Government of San Juan and Fundación Fundar, assessed the emotional well-being of adolescents aged 13 to 17.
By Panorama Minero
Glencore Pachón, the Government of San Juan and Fundación Fundar presented the results of the Integrated Mental Health Project in Calingasta, an initiative aimed at understanding the mental health and emotional well-being needs of adolescents aged 13 to 17 within the department’s educational community.
The study was carried out through coordination between the provincial ministries of Health, Education, Family and Human Development, and Mining. The results were presented on 29 September at the Cruce de los Andes Hall of the Civic Centre, with the participation of provincial authorities and representatives of the organisations involved. A presentation was also held on 30 September in Barreal, Calingasta.
According to the information released, the survey identified the coexistence of high levels of happiness and optimism among adolescents, alongside signs of emotional distress requiring timely attention and intervention.
The initiative was developed under the Adolescent Mental Health protocol, with the aim of generating information about young people’s needs and contributing to the design of support strategies.
María Eugenia Basualdo, Community Relations Manager at Glencore Pachón, explained the objectives of the initiative: “We wanted to hear first-hand how our adolescents are doing and offer concrete responses together with the government and the community.”
The executive added that the initiative seeks to generate reliable information and actions aimed at strengthening the emotional well-being of young people in Calingasta.
Coordination Between Institutions
San Juan’s Minister of Education, Silvia Fuentes, highlighted the role of the education system in the early identification of situations related to adolescent mental health.
“Schools are one of the key settings for supporting the life journeys of children and adolescents,” the official stated, also emphasising the need to strengthen care strategies together with families and communities.
For her part, Noelia Villena, Director of Mental Health at the provincial Ministry of Health, stated that the assessment will provide information to improve public policies and expand mental health responses, initially in Calingasta and subsequently in other departments.
The project was also recognised by the San Juan Chamber of Deputies, which declared it to be of Social, Health and Educational Interest.
Through a resolution, the legislative body urged the provincial Executive Branch to evaluate extending this assessment model to Iglesia, Valle Fértil and Jáchal, as well as the feasibility of subsequently implementing it throughout the rest of San Juan Province.
Training for Young People in Calingasta
As part of initiatives aimed at supporting young people in the department, Glencore Pachón and Fundación Forge opened registration for the “Tu Futuro” (“Your Future”) programme, aimed at people aged 18 to 24 from Barreal, Villa Calingasta and Tamberías.
The free programme includes training focused on developing socio-emotional and digital skills related to the workplace.
The programme also seeks to support participants in identifying their interests, recognising their abilities and defining personal and professional goals.
According to Glencore Pachón, these activities form part of the community engagement initiatives the company carries out in Calingasta, the department where the El Pachón copper and molybdenum project is located.