TEAM NUKU’ALOFA

Final Team Project Synopsis

Team Nuku’alofa had two ideas, involving both public health and social justice, that ultimately decided the
direction of our final project. The first idea was to organize an educational initiative that would allow mental
health professionals, peer mentors, and youth advocates to work directly with children within school
environments cultivating connection in a post-pandemic world. The second idea was to create safe spaces
for vulnerable children and families who have difficulty accessing crucial resources that could create safe
and stable homes. Ultimately, these two ideas became The Nest: an initiative that serves to strengthen those
who are struggling in a post-pandemic world, by cultivating connection and providing vital mental health
and educational resources to the most vulnerable children and families.

In the wake of the pandemic, children have suffered in myriad ways: anxiety, depression, disruption of
medical care, a rise in violence in homes and online, reduced cognitive skills, delayed learning, the inability
to form/maintain social relationships, and a dramatic increase in poverty. In the article Snapshot of
pandemic’s mental health impact on children, Clea Simon stresses the need for mental health and
educational resources, stating “these issues were worst among those who were living in socioeconomic
deprivation, most notably among those who were new to such deprivation, as well as those who were
parents of young children.”

Our organization will be a non-profit, that will work jointly with schools at all levels of learning, raising
awareness about the need for connection, belonging, and empowerment in a post-pandemic world. Ideally,
this mission would be largely staffed with volunteers, advocates, and professionals who can facilitate
healing and growth for children and families. As an extension of this, we would also establish community
centers (nests) that serve as safe spaces for children and families, removing the barrier between individuals
and much needed counseling, tutoring, job training, and community building.

The name of our organization and initiative is The Nest. The tagline is cultivating connection in a post-
pandemic world. In the beginning, our team will help the cause by creating a vision for our organization,
as well as establishing roles, responsibilities, systems, and a strategic plan. We will then work on building
relationships with other organizations and individuals who are passionate about aspects of this work,
bringing them together for a cohesive, shared goal. We will refine our messaging, do extensive networking
and outreach. We will work on donor stewardship, to secure the financial resources and/or donations to
build safe spaces (nests) for communities.

Our public campaign will involve a cohesive, recognizable brand. We will focus on being warm, accessible,
and removing the stigma around the lasting effects of the pandemic on children and families. Through a
dynamic social media campaign, messaging through school districts, and partnering with local and national
organizations and community organizers, people will see The Nest as inspired giving – a way to give of
their time, their skills, or their money, to support an initiative that touches all of us. It will be incredibly
important that our message and mission are positive. Our campaign will focus on all the ways that children
and families can thrive, and that money and/or mental health issues will not be barriers to a healthy, thriving
future.

Sources:

Simon, C. (2022, April 21). The Harvard Gazette: Snapshot of pandemic’s mental health impact on
children. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/04/early-snapshot-of-pandemics-
impact-on-childrens-mental-health/