GROW PROJECT
Grief-informed Resilience,
Ownership & Wellbeing
GROW is a community program designed to support young people in understanding and processing experiences of loss, developing emotional regulation skills, and building healthy connections with themselves and others.
This program uses a psychoeducational approach, body-based regulation practices (somatic practices), creative expression, and peer support within a safe, non-clinical space.
GROW serves as a space for learning and reflection, helping young people recognize that emotions and grief are natural parts of life and that they don’t have to go through them alone.
About the Program
GROW (Grief-informed Resilience, Ownership & Wellbeing) is a community-based program developed by Talk Mental Health Indonesia (TMH.id) in Yogyakarta.
This program is rooted in the reality that many young people experience emotional pressure and loss that often go unnoticed or are not openly discussed. Loss is not always related to death. Many young people face what is often referred to as “everyday grief” — the loss of a sense of safety, changes in relationships, academic or economic pressures, loss of direction in life, or unmet expectations about the future.
In a context where stigma around mental health remains strong, many young people choose to suppress their feelings. Unprocessed emotions often manifest in other ways, such as emotional exhaustion, numbness, anger, risky behaviors, or withdrawal from social environments.
GROW was developed to respond to this need by providing a safe, practical, and community-based learning space, where young people can:
- better understand their emotions
- learn self-regulation skills
- connect with others
- find healthy ways to express their experiences
Why GROW?
Many young people face experiences of loss or emotional pressure without having a safe space to process them.
Some common challenges include:
- Emotions and grief are often seen as something that should be suppressed or hidden
- Young people often lack the language or skills to understand and express their emotions
- Access to formal mental health services is still limited due to cost, stigma, or availability
- Many existing forms of support feel too clinical, making them distant from the everyday realities of young people
Without appropriate early support, emotional distress can affect overall wellbeing, social relationships, and young people’s participation in education, work, and community life.
GROW is designed as a community-based early intervention that helps young people build emotional capacity before challenges become more complex.
Program Goals
The main goal of GROW is to strengthen young people’s emotional resilience and wellbeing through an inclusive, practical, and community-based approach.
This program aims to:
- improve emotional and grief literacy among young people
- introduce practical, body-based self-regulation tools
- build healthy peer connections and support systems
- create a safe space for young people to express their experiences creatively
- develop peer leadership potential for participants who wish to continue their involvement within the community
Who the Program Supports
The GROW program is primarily intended for young people aged 13–24 (or up to 18–35, depending on the program context).
It is especially designed for those who:
- are experiencing emotional pressure or loss
- have limited access to formal mental health support
- need a safe space to learn, share, and connect with others
The program uses a small cohort model to ensure participants’ safety and the quality of their experience.
Each program cycle typically involves around 25–40 participants.
Program Approach
GROW adopts a trauma-informed and grief-informed approach, guided by the following core principles:
- a safe and non-judgmental space
- choice-based participation (participants may choose to share or pass)
- language that is sensitive to cultural contexts and individual experiences
- a non-clinical approach that is practical and accessible
- referral readiness if participants require professional support
The program integrates several key components:
Grief & Emotion Literacy
Participants learn how emotions and grief function within the body and mind, and how to recognize emotional responses that arise in everyday life.
Nervous System Regulation
Participants are introduced to simple techniques to help regulate the nervous system, such as breathing exercises, grounding, gentle body movements, and body awareness practices.
Creative Reflection
Creative expression is used as a medium for self-reflection through activities such as journaling, therapeutic art, collage, or writing letters to oneself.
Peer Connection
Through a safe group process, participants build empathy, develop listening skills, and form healthy connections with others.
Pathway to Youth Leadership
A small number of participants who show interest can continue their involvement through a peer facilitator or storyteller pathway, with foundational training in peer support ethics and healthy boundaries.
Supporting Initiatives
As part of the GROW program ecosystem, Talk Mental Health Indonesia also develops several supporting initiatives that help expand spaces for reflection, expression, and connection for young people.
Grief Box
An anonymous expression space that allows young people to share their experiences of loss, emotions, or personal reflections without fear of judgment.
Support Groups
A community-based gathering space where individuals with similar experiences or challenges can come together to listen, share, and support one another in a safe environment.
Program Format
The GROW program is typically conducted in a 6-week cohort format, with weekly sessions lasting approximately 2–3 hours.
Each session is facilitated by:
- facilitators from the Talk Mental Health Indonesia team
- trained co-facilitators
- a youth support person to help ensure participants’ emotional safety
The program takes place in youth-friendly community spaces in the Yogyakarta and Bantul areas.
Expected Outcomes
Through this program, participants are expected to:
- better understand their emotional and grief experiences
- develop basic skills to manage stress and regulate emotions
- feel more connected and less alone in their experiences
- find healthy ways to express themselves
- become more open to seeking support when needed
At the community level, the program also aims to increase awareness that talking about emotions and grief is both normal and important for mental health.
Safeguarding & Ethical Practice
To ensure participant safety, the GROW program applies several key principles:
- an informed consent process for participation and documentation
- confidentiality agreements within the group
- participants’ right not to share personal experiences (right to pass)
- the presence of a youth support person for emotional support
- referral protocols to professional services when needed
It is important to note that peer support is not therapy, but rather a community space for learning and mutual support.
Sustainability
GROW is designed as a program that can be repeated in multiple cycles each year.
In the future, the program will also be connected to the Tumbuh Space initiative, a nature-based community space in Bantul that integrates mental health, creativity, and connection with the environment as part of the healing and growth process.
Through a combination of community programs, local collaborations, and support from partners and donors, GROW is expected to continue expanding and reach more young people.