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We listened. सुनने के लिए धन्यवाद।
World Mental Health Day at Manovikas · Friday 9 October 2026
On 9 October, about 160 people came to Manovikas.
Students, parents and teachers-in-training were there.
Students talked about their day, their work and their dreams. We listened.
One student said: "Families must understand their children too."
On World Mental Health Day, around 100 students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, 10 parents and 50 D.Ed. Special Education (IDD) trainees came together at Manovikas. The theme was Real Voices, Real Change, and the format was simple: the people with lived experience spoke, and everyone else listened.
Students spoke about managing their own personal care, helping at home, preparing for jobs, finishing a degree and working at a post office. One said simply, "Koshish nahi chhodi" (I never stopped trying). Parents spoke about giving time, finding support, and being turned away by schools in the early years.
"परिवार को भी बच्चों को समझना चाहिए।"
"Families must understand their children too." — a student, on the day
Event record · कार्यक्रम विवरण
| Date and venue | Fri 9 Oct 2026, 10:00 am–12:30 pm · Manovikas Campus, Delhi |
|---|---|
| Type | Awareness day · lived-experience listening session |
| Participants (approx.) | 160: students with IDD 100 · parents 10 · D.Ed. trainees 50 |
| Activities | Student and parent sharing · My Voice Wall · trainee poster gallery |
| Goals (UN SDGs) | 3 Good health and well-being · 4 Quality education · 10 Reduced inequalities |
Download the report · रिपोर्ट डाउनलोड करें
The full event report: what happened, what we heard, outcomes, reach, photos and links.
Need to talk? Tele-MANAS 14416 (free, 24 hours). · बात करनी है? टेली-मानस 14416 (निःशुल्क, 24 घंटे)
Below: the invitation as it was shared before the day.
इस बार हम बोलेंगे नहीं — सुनेंगे।
Real Voices, Real Change · सच्ची आवाज़ें, सच्चा बदलाव
विश्व मानसिक स्वास्थ्य दिवस पर मनोविकास इस वर्ष सुनने के लिए जगह बना रहा है। हमारे छात्र, माता-पिता और स्टाफ अपने अनुभव अपने तरीके से साझा करेंगे। Real change begins when people have the opportunity to speak and are genuinely heard — on 9 October, Manovikas listens to students, parents and staff sharing their own experiences and perspectives.
On Friday 9 October we meet at Manovikas.
Students, parents and staff will tell us their experiences.
We will listen. You are welcome. It is free. 💚
📍 मनोविकास परिसर — 60-A Radhey Puri Extension 1, Delhi 110051
👨👩👧 सभी परिवार सादर आमंत्रित हैं · प्रवेश निःशुल्क
कार्यक्रम में क्या होगा
छात्र अपनी बात शब्दों, चित्रों और संकेतों में साझा करेंगे — हर अभिव्यक्ति का स्वागत है।
छात्र अपने अनुभव अपने तरीके से सुनाएँगे — बोलकर, दिखाकर या AAC के माध्यम से।
माता-पिता अपने अनुभव साझा करेंगे और एक-दूसरे से सीखेंगे।
स्टाफ सुनेगा — ताकि आगे की सेवाएँ इन्हीं आवाज़ों से बनें।
सुनने के 5 तरीके · 5 ways to really listen
- समय दें — जल्दी न करें, व्यक्ति को अपनी बात पूरी करने दें।
- हर माध्यम अपनाएँ — ज़रूरत हो तो चित्र, संकेत या AAC का इस्तेमाल करें।
- एक सवाल, एक बार — सरल सवाल पूछें, एक बार में एक।
- बीच में न टोकें — सुनना सिर्फ चुप रहना नहीं, ध्यान देना है।
- फैसलों में शामिल करें — जो सुना, उसे व्यवहार में लाएँ।
About this observance
World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to move beyond speaking about people and create space to listen to them. At Manovikas, our 2026 observance centres lived experience. Listening is also an inclusion practice: it requires time, accessible communication and respect for different ways of expressing thoughts and feelings. The voices gathered on 9 October will inform how our support is designed and delivered.
#WorldMentalHealthDay #RealVoicesRealChange #Manovikas
