Peer counsellors at secondary schools Windhoek

Abstract

Preface provided by author:

Peer counseling is one of the main projects of the Young Women's Christian Association of Namibia. Counsellors from different schools receive training for 20 hours and an ongoing supervision by a supervisor or social worker from the organisation. This opens a trigger unit which uses discussions about various issues pertinent to adolescents to introduce key themes and topics within peer counseling. Reflecting these general training aims of the programme, this report explores three areas: change in self-awareness, knowledge, understanding and skills among the recipients of the programme. The aim of this research paper was to try and explore the effectiveness of the programme in order for the organisation (YWCA) to recreate and add some flavor to the training manual. Looking back at the 1995 training manual now, its breadth and scope is surprising. It focuses on training and equipping young people to understand and cope with the problems of adolescence, to provide support for their peers, to increase and share their knolwledge and skills and so grow into responsible, caring adults. This training manual is still effective but new information as well as new examples needed to be added for the manual to be more effective than what the programme is doing today