Straits Times Reflection
Term 3 Week 9
2E/NA

Home Section page B6
Call us, helplines urge troubled teens



1a) List two reasons why teens are reluctant to call helplines despite the promise of anonymity and professional help.

b) According to Ms Lily Chu, how does Touch Leadership and Mentoring prefer to help troubled teens?

2) Have you confided in your friends or family members about the problems you face in school/ life? Why or why not?

Have you been betrayed by your friends before? If yes, how? (You may change the names of the people involved for privacy)


Answers:

1a) Teens, mostly secondary 3 or 4 students would rather not confide in strangers. They also think it is wimpy to call. Said by one of those surveyed, "It's weird to talk to someone you've never met before." Therefore I think these teens are either afraid or felt childish to call helplines despite the promise of anonymity and professional help.

1b) Ms Lily Chu, manager of Touch Leadership and Mentoring, she said "We prefer to help the youths through more direct, effective means, such as educational workshops in schools, face-to-face counselling and home visits."

2)(i) Yes, things like being bullied in school, being teased or facing stress due to studies or friend. I feel that it is the right and only time when you need sympathy/comfort/warmth/encouragement because everyone needs them whenever they feel down, sad, stressed or angry. Of course you will have to approach the right friends, friends that care for you, accompany you and helps you when you are in trouble. Families are the main people you would confide as no-one understands you better then them...
(ii)Yes, I always feel that in order to be a good student, to achieve the teacher's liking(for good impression), you will have to be law-abiding, meaning telling the teacher about your classmates or friends. Example, if your classmate would to use handphones in class during lessons, you would have to choose to either keep quiet or tell the teacher. If you keep quiet, and when the teacher finds out, he/she might think you are helping your friend in the wrong way, he will also not leave a good impression on you, but if you would to tell the teacher about your friend, your friend would be dissapointed with you for betraying him, therefore losing a friend(most of the students do the same thing in class), therefore you cannot get along with the class and you become like an 'outcaste'. I've been trapped between, therefore it becomes a burden to me.