ACTIVITIES OF TURNING POINT: (SOCIAL & ECONOMIC
REHABILITATION PROGRAMS)

Exercise: Home
borne mentally ill persons are subjected to daily exercise
in Turning Point under the guidance of a Physical Training
Teacher to recover from the usual lack of drive, apathy,
laziness & depression.
News: News paper
reading & news discussion is organized with a sense of
sharing of each others’ feelings & views so, not only a
secluded person is revived but knowledge about social
conditions & places become interesting & awaring & one also
starts feeling himself a part of the society.
Debates: To actuate &
give dimension to the once curbed communication of the
clients, debates help to provoke the spirit to convince one
another of their standpoints and simultaneously develop a
positive attitude for external social intermingling.
Skills & Ability
are best developed by innovative games &
activities, which involve action to reduce the effects of
inhibitions & withdrawal. Turning Point cranes its neck out
for newer and newer games & activities that would not only
act as a part of Behavioral Therapy but also stimulate &
expedite observation & motor skills, wit, stance, effort of
acquiring prominence in public, freedom, initiative,
positive drive, clarity & locomotion. Actions the spirit of
Preoccupation & ability of self-expression bears a clinical
value because the impact of diversion helps minimize the
trauma of mental illness & brings a sense of self esteem &
fortitude -- and to the lethargic, willingness to work
easily results.
Beyond counseling, Group Therapy by various therapeutic
options allows clients to discuss, solve, share, recollect
or conceptualize aspects that would, on one hand, bring out
inner feelings & viewpoints as also create an effect of
empathy & correspondence with one another’s’ situations
Role Modeling not only eliminates effects age-appropriate
attitudes of regression & nervousness, but for these clients
who have never foregone dire situations of practicality or
emergency now get scope to imagine he is as well answerable
to society, that expectations are mutual in society, work &
responsibility can itself be the reward. This increases his
self-esteem. Despite years of seclusion, now he develops a
drive to work & find meaning in life.
Art & Handicraft:
Turning Point is ever highlighting the magnificent hidden
talents among its’ clients. So far, with meticulous effort,
the clients are readily producing quality paintings,
collages & origami, handicraft items like consumer
accessories, decorated pottery, children’s’ items, various
household utility & office utility items that are daily made
& sold by the clients and the entire money yielded is
immediately paid to the respective clients as a measure of
motivation, inspiration & their self esteem that the. They
excel to the level of painting colored T-shirts & making
handsome profit.


Creative Writing: Those
gifted with creative writing talents are further encouraged
and offered avenues for publication or jobs in news agencies
or even trained to join mass communication courses.
Music: To help vent
oneself, each individual is encouraged to sing out in
harmony or solo and traditional & occidental musical games
are organized as competitions to brew a challenge of each
person’s flair of music. Turning Point even reaches out to
provide them exposure in television & radio.
RECITATION, ELOCUTION, & EXTEMPORE:
Recitation, Elocution, Extempore & Lectures on different
fields of knowledge, people, experiences, places &
ideologies provide diverse advantages starting from
comprehension of mood, pronunciation, creativity, to the
extent of one’s scope of conceptualizing & performances
onstage or finding scope in avenues of broadcast.
ANNUAL EVENTS: To
encourage these talents altogether, each year Turning Point
arranges for a gala Cultural Program Nite with performances
by the beneficiaries in music, dance, elocution, recitation,
plays etc, & also a grand Sports-Cum-Painting-Cum-Music
Competition between all NGO’s of Calcutta. The shows are
also featured in every newspaper & television as a measure
of Awareness Of Mental Health & Challenge Against
Discrimination & Stigma.
Interestingly, Turning Point took the courage to believe
that the mentally ill were not incapable of computer
education that becomes a necessity in modern jobs. And
today, not only is Turning Point the pioneer in this
ingenuous idea but as a matter of achievement, most of our
beneficiaries have acquired the Professional Basic Computer
Course Certificate from Turning Point, opting for computer
programs in professional institutes, and now also practicing
Advance Computer Programs in Turning Point. They tried
computer education in institutions but due to shortcomings
arising from their illness, they had no option but to
discontinue & remain jobless. With Turning Point facilities
their learning progressed easily with patience & not
pressure. Enthusiasm as well as the prospect of attractive
job availabilities involving computer applications led them
to insist us for Advanced Computer Courses and with much
pleasure we have met their demands eclipsing all troubles.
RELAXATION THERAPY:
Relaxation Therapy techniques are demonstrated & the
faculties invigilate the performances & finally the
aftereffects & experience is shared amongst.
OTHER ATTRACTIVE ACTIVITIES of Turning Point include yearly
long distance tours where caregivers are allowed to
accompany, frequent short distance picnics / movies / trips
/ parties, extensive exhibitions displaying handicrafts,
paintings & including fun games & delicious food prepared by
the clients with little assistance, & cooking classes, etc.
Turning Point, unlike any other NGO, feels the dire
necessity of reaching out to the necessities of each
Mentally Challenged Individual should it aim to bring about
the Turning Point in his lifetime.
Turning Point-Annual activity Report : 2005-2006 |
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