Savaii Youth Engage in Talanoa on Mental Health Solutions

Apia, Samoa – 24 November 2025: More than 60 youth participants from Savaii communities gathered at the Jet Over Hotel last Friday for a ‘Talanoa Session’ on mental health.

The outreach program was led by the SVSG Youth for young people in Samoa, and the Savaii Talanoa session was the second event following the Upolu Talanoa in October.

The Talanoa Sessions are funded by UNESCO as SVSG continues to empower youth to be aware of the social issues that surround them.

SVSG says, “Mental health issues especially affect young people when drug abuse is involved. These issues can lead to violence within families and communities, so young people must be empowered to advocate for safer communities through their roles.”

The ‘Talanoa’ session ensure that safe spaces are created for young people to share their insights about social issues, while at the same time being empowered to resolve these issues and design strategies for the problems they face.

The ‘Talanoa’ not only provides relevant information about social issues but also allows participants to brainstorm how best to respond and address these challenges, helping to minimize mental health concerns.

The role of youth is very important in their families and village communities. Therefore, this ‘Talanoa’ not only brought young people together and created safe spaces for them to discuss their social challenges and reflect on effective strategies but also allowed them to explore ways to help their families and communities.

Participants are encouraged to advocate for a society free from violence resulting from mental health issues and to embrace their roles as future leaders, promoting peace, love, and safer communities.

SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang extended her heartfelt fa’afetai to the village and church community leaders who accompanied their youth groups and participated in the ‘Talanoa’ session.

“This is a positive sign of strong community support for youth empowerment programs, helping to build a brighter future for these future leaders and advocating for safer families and communities,” she said.

Participants expressed hope to see more opportunities and programs like these continue for the young people and youth of Savaii every year.