GS Caltex, Student Mental Health Protection Through Online Social Contribution Programs

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoonju Hwang] GS Caltex has developed the group art therapy program "Classroom Healing," which is conducted to prevent maladjustment during the early stages of school admission, into an online format and has started supporting students. Classroom Healing is a social contribution program jointly conducted by GS Caltex and the Korea Education Volunteer Group for first-year middle school students who are likely to face difficulties in forming relationships in unfamiliar environments.

GS Caltex announced that from the 6th, it conducted the eight-session Classroom Healing program online for about 600 middle school students in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, divided into 89 groups, throughout the first semester. They are also discussing support details with the relevant education offices, considering the possibility of expanding the program into the second semester.

GS Caltex's online Classroom Healing is conducted using an online platform. It allows art therapists and all students to participate together on one screen, enabling interactive communication and compensating for the limitations of the traditional face-to-face method. Preliminary mock test results showed that participants felt less burdened by other group members, allowing for more natural participation.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, online admissions are taking place, so in the early stages of Classroom Healing (sessions 1-2), activities mainly focus on self-introduction and forming relationships within the class. In the middle stages (sessions 3-6), activities such as self-expression, safe distance and relationships, and mutual exchange are conducted to practice empathy. In the later stages (sessions 7-8), activities that foster emotional bonds, such as creating group stories and connecting art pieces, are carried out. Upon completion of the eight-session Classroom Healing, it is expected that students' sense of belonging will be enhanced and anxiety about adapting to school life will be alleviated.

Following the Ministry of Education's nationwide elementary and secondary school reopening policy, GS Caltex plans to switch to the existing face-to-face Classroom Healing program to continuously support first-year middle school students' school adaptation once they return to normal attendance on June 1.

Meanwhile, GS Caltex will distribute "Mind Health Kits," developed with advice from Professor Kim Sun-hee (Seoul Women's University), the supervisor of the Mind Talk art therapy program, and in cooperation with Good Neighbors, to about 200 elementary school students mainly in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions where conducting the Mind Talk art therapy program is not possible due to restrictions on external visitors entering schools. Mind Talk is GS Caltex's representative social contribution program that conducts group art therapy to improve the self and social skills of children and adolescents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.