About:
TRAUMA COUNSELLING IN SCHOOLS
The Psychologists believe that many adults have problems that can be traced to unresolved traumatic childhood experiences. It is from this background that the training of teachers to equip them with knowledge and skills to identify and counsel children in schools traumatised as a result of HIV/AIDS was started by Kitovu Mobile AIDS Home Care, Counselling and Orphans Programme (MAHCOP) in April 2002. This is done in Masaka and Rakai Districts of South Central Uganda.
On this note, we welcome all on board to MAHCOP learning processes. We believe that the lessons learnt these past years are worth sharing with our partners keeping in mind too that learning is a continuous process. We shall look at what worked, how, when, where and why. We do hope that this project locally adapted would be beneficial to Ministries of Education, Gender and Social Development, NGOs and CBOs, and can also be duplicated in other areas as we work to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
Due to an increasing number of OVC as a result of HIV/AIDS, Trauma Counselling is one of the urgently needed interventions that can help us to effectively meet emotional needs of OVC thereby supplementing on other social services.
Training teachers in trauma counselling rotates around helping in- school -youth share their pains; deal with unresolved traumatic experiences, helping them to make informed choices/decisions for the future as well as promoting and building resilience in them. Although the target group for this project is the in- school-youth, it also helps the teachers to deal with their unresolved traumatic experiences through receiving counselling services provided by MAHCOP Senior Counsellors. Teachers trained in Trauma Counselling given the experiences they have also help fellow teachers in dealing with different problems they face.
Trauma counselling training for teachers involves imparting the skills of effective listening, ability to ask and answer questions as well as coming to the level of the child through information giving. Showing positive attitudes to the child, believing in the child, expressing warmth, being non-judgmental, the ability to be consistent, applying the right skills without betraying the child’s trust and keeping confidentiality are key to helping the traumatized child. get details
We would like to appreciate and acknowledge our partners Kindernothilfe (KNH) who funded our pilot project in Trauma Counselling and Ireland Aid for the three year financial support given to us to run the same project. We also thank the in- school- youth for allowing us to be part of their lives as well as Head teachers and Trauma Counsellor Teachers who work hard despite their busy schedules.
Our gratitude would be incomplete without acknowledging the special contribution and support of Sr. Ursula Sharpe, MMM, MAHCOP Staff, District Education Officers of Masaka and Rakai Districts as well as the Local Council and Religious Leaders in the project target sub-counties.
For all who have contributed in one way or the other that our children “may have life and life in all its fullness”, we say thank you.
Itoro Etokakpan, MMM.
Trainer in-charge of case supervision.
MAHCOP TRAUMA COUNSELLING TRAINING OVERVIEW
The most expressive and simple definition of Trauma is “when our ability to respond to threat is overwhelmed” as a result of “experiencing or witnessing an event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury, or threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others”. When these things happen and our bodies react or carry out normal reactions – responding to these abnormal situations with symptoms like restlessness, flashbacks, hyper-alertness to similar sounds, unusual quick movements etc; and these reactions continue for long period of time, one is said to be traumatized.
The trauma counselling project takes six months to complete the theory and practical training. The training is done in four residential phases, which takes fourteen days. Depending on when the teacher trainees are less busy, one of the phases is carried out within five consecutive days and the rest of the phases are three days each. The trainees present six cases every fortnight.Visit our Trauma strategy
Teachers and pupils acting drama sensitising people on the causes of Trauma to children
History and process
The Trauma Counselling Project started in 2002 as a pilot project when the counsellors of MACHOP could no longer cope with the increased demand for counselling services. The general idea at the time was to train parents/guardians in basic counselling skills to be able to help the traumatized children in their homes. However, after discussion with parents/guardians it was finally agreed that since children spend most of their time with teachers in schools, it was most appropriate to train the teachers in the skills needed to help these children.
On the basis of the experiences gained, the Ireland Aid supported trauma programme started in 2003 and a training package was developed (still in draft form) for the general training of teachers in Basic Counselling Skills which focuses on introduction to trauma, self-awareness, building a helping relationship, communication skills and introduction to a counselling model.
The idea of trauma counselling was developed to help the children express their emotional pain as a result of the effects of HIV/AIDS. The trauma counselling has four main phases which runs for six months and focuses on three major themes: Trauma, Basic Counselling Skills and other child – related issues. So far the project operates in two districts of Masaka and Rakai in two selected sub-counties each year. Since 2002, 1,065 teachers have been trained in basic counselling skills and out of this, 156 have been trained intensively and 89 teachers are still under intensive training.
After the teachers have completed the third phase of the training, case presentation is carried out and this helps the teachers to effectively put into practice all the theories they have been learning and to refer the most challenging cases to MAHCOP counsellors/trainers.
Sensitisation of parents/guardians is a continuous process as well as Education for Life for the in- school- youth. This programme helps the in-school-youth to learn more about HIV/AIDS and to acquire life skills for effective living.
The final stage of the project is the follow- up exercise, which also helps the MACHOP staff to monitor the progress of the project.Visit our Trauma strategy