Already 100,000 students can report their problems to school via a mailbox. Safely and, if they want, anonymously.
Iga Dzieciuchowicz: Where there are “mental health blue boxes”, students can describe their problem anonymously or under their name in a letter and put it in the box. According to the project's assumptions, the school psychologist or another person designated by the school management should provide assistance. You are 18 years old, you are taking your high school final exams this year, and “The Blue Box” is your initiative. How did you come up with this idea?
Marcelina Maciąg: My personal story is connected with it. I am an only child and I have very supportive parents who always encouraged me to try new things. In primary school, I was the initiator of various activities for the school community, the person to whom children approached with various problems. I always knew how to help, comfort and advise, but these were just normal school matters.
Marcelina MaciągMarcelina Maciąg Archive
One day, however, something happened that probably changed me forever. I had a friend in the seventh grade of primary school. Our parents knew each other, we went to each other's houses for sleepovers, we were very close. I noticed that my friend, who had previously been very organized, stopped talking during classes and doing homework. Her way of dressing also changed, practically overnight. She stopped wearing colorful clothes, everything she wore was black. She had older siblings, so I thought it was maybe her step into “adulthood” or some kind of fashion. I also saw that she was sad and withdrawn. I asked her what was going on. During the break she called me, I remember that moment like it was yesterday. We were in the school bathroom. She burst into tears, lifted her blouse and showed me her self-inflicted wounds. She said she was thinking about suicide. She didn't want to say what happened or why she had such thoughts. She asked me not to tell anyone about it.