by Faith Ho (22A01A) and Max Yeo (22A13A)
In the warm afternoon of the 28th of July, the Raffles Peer Helpers carried out an all-too familiar routine: logging in to Zoom for their weekly PHP Session. However, they were in for a pleasant surprise. That session, representatives from the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) came in to showcase a new card game – Smol Tok: Beyond the Label, designed to foster conversations about mental health.
Beyond the Label and Origins
How did this card game come about in the first place? A NCSS survey in 2016 sought to understand the quality of life of persons with mental health issues, and discovered that a significant impediment to their quality of life was a lack of social inclusion and a general difficulty participating in society. The study established that areas to focus on would be eliminating barriers to understanding, communicating, and getting along with others, along with fostering social participation.
Another study on attitudes towards persons with mental health conditions (hereafter referred to as PMHCs) indicated that merely improving knowledge about mental health was insufficient to reduce distance between PMHCs and others. Instead, it would be more effective to improve affective attitudes (“feelings”, to use the lay term) towards PMHCs.
And so, Beyond The Label was born: the first national campaign to reduce stigma against those with mental illnesses. Currently in its fourth year, the campaign aims to improve feelings towards PMHCs and cooperate with them to achieve social inclusion. Smol Tok: Beyond the Label is part of this effort.
The game is essentially meant to achieve three outcomes:
- Help participants relate to PMHCs and see them as individuals, not as their diagnoses,
- Provide opportunities for participants to reflect on their existing attitudes towards PMHCs,
- and get participants to realise and appreciate one another’s perspectives.
How to Play
Trying It Out!
After the sharing, the peer helpers split into groups of around 7 people to try out the card game. Each group had a counselor or a representative from NCSS to guide them through the process.
Peer helpers took turns facilitating as the groups steadily progressed through the different levels of questions, which prompted increasingly deeper conversations. They started with ice breaker questions such as “What song have you been listening to?” before venturing into Level 1 questions such as “Who are the mentors or supporters who keep you grounded in life?”.
They spent most of their time discussing the Level 2 and Level 3 cards. At Level 2, they discussed questions such as “Do you have any family members/friends who are suffering from mental health conditions and how are you supporting them?” and at Level 3, questions such as “How would you respond if you found out your loved one was diagnosed with a mental illness?”.
The online medium proved to be a challenge, as the distance and unfamiliarity with one another meant that it was hard to overcome the inevitable awkwardness. Nonetheless, the facilitator would directly call on different members to ensure everyone was included in the conversation and all group members had the chance to reflect on the prompts and participate in the discussion.
Conclusion
After the games, the NCSS speakers delivered some closing comments on the card game, such as how it is important to always keep in mind the existing attitudes and mental states of the other participants when playing the game. They suggested that if you suspect some might not be in the best place to discuss more serious issues, it might be a better idea to select easier cards from lower levels instead. Furthermore, they emphasised that choosing a conducive environment and making sure that participants are comfortable can also go a long way in improving the game experience for everyone.
Smol Tok: Beyond the Label is designed to be used flexibly, adaptable to the varying contexts in which it is played. Peer Helpers or even ordinary students can borrow a set of cards from the Raffles Guidance Centre and find some time to play with their friends. Even if you don’t have friends to play the game with, try incorporating some of the questions in your conversations. Perhaps you’ll find a valuable opportunity to learn something new.
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