The program "My choice is to be OK" includes 24 thematic sessions that will be held online, with professional psychologists, targeting adolescents and young people aged 14-20 from the Republic of Moldova. The program is launched at the initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with the aim to support students in maintaining their mental health and psycho-social wellbeing in the context of the crisis caused by COVID-19.

 "We are aware that in this period of pandemic with COVID-19, when the educational process is carried out online, students, teachers, and parents need more support, communication, counseling. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, together with UNFPA, supports students to provide them with quality psychological counseling and to help them overcome this period more easily. The program is part of the Ministry's Action Plan on organizing psychological assistance to children/students, parents and teachers during the suspension of the educational process, implemented by the Republican Center for Psycho-pedagogical Assistance and the structures of psycho-pedagogical assistance in the territory”, said Natalia Griu, Secretary of State for Education at the Ministry of Education.

UNFPA Representative Nigina Abaszada says that globally, over 187 million adolescents and young people are affected by the consequences of COVID-19, including anxiety and stress, which is why the need for mental health services and counselling is paramount.

"For UNFPA, young people's health, including mental health is top priority. We hope that, through this program, we will help adolescents and young people from Moldova to maintain their well-being and inner balance, which will have a positive impact on their development both in the short and long term”, stated Abaszada.

The program "My choice is to be OK" will run from April to July 2020 and will include 24 online sessions, 45 minutes each, including 18 in Romanian and four in Russian. The sessions will focus on the needs of young people, according to their age, and will answer questions such as how to cope with the complex learning program and social isolation, how to deal with stress, managing anxiety, fear and panic, preventing gender-based violence and others. The program will be completed with topics determined by the specific interest and needs of young people.

The sessions will be LIVE streamed on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, being accessible for all those who wish to participate. They will be held twice a week, on Wednesday at 4 pm and on Saturday at 11 am. During the sessions, the young people will be able to ask the specialists questions. The recorded sessions will be available later for young people who have not been able to watch them during live streaming and will serve as informational support for teachers in working with students.

The specialists who will organize the sessions are Daniela Terzi-Barbarosie, Director of the SINESIS Psychological Center, psychologist, family and couple psychotherapist, and Sergiu Toma, President of Institute for Family and Social Initiatives, family psychotherapist.

According to statistics, currently, the study process in Moldova has been suspended for 580 thousand students. 330 thousand are high school students and almost 100 thousand are part of the vocational and higher education system.