Castries, Saint Lucia: Pandemics, extreme weather events and natural disasters can lead to shocks to the economy and lives of persons around the world. These shocks can lead to issues such as unemployment, decreased income and threats to food security.
COVID-19 and inflation have highlighted the speed at which the world’s trajectory can be altered. Policy and Program Officer in the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment, Eulampius Frederick, describes the adaptive shock response mechanism aimed at addressing these events.
“Shock responsive social protection is a special form of social protection where you adapt your current social protection programs to prepare for, mitigate and respond to co-variant shocks. Co-variant shocks affect large sections of the population, perhaps even an entire region—things like hurricanes, natural disasters or even the recent the pandemic.”
The shock-responsive social protection mechanism is an integral component of the updated National Social Protection Policy.
The Employee Assistance Programme Unit (EAP) within the Department of the Public Service on Thursday, September 1, commenced a series of mental health seminars targeted at public sector male employees.
The exercise is designed to reach male employees within the public sector, in an effort to provide education and sensitization on the importance of developing and maintaining good mental health practices.
According to Patrick Fearon, EAP counsellor and seminar facilitator, the information imparted will help participants develop a better appreciation for taking care of their mental health.
In an effort to decentralize its services, the Employee Assistance Programme Unit will be hosting the first set of mental health seminars at the Philip Marcellin Grounds in Vieux-Fort specifically for public sector male employees who are based in the south of the island.
The EAP Mental Health Seminar series will run from September to October to coincide with World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10. This year’s theme is “Make Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority”.
