Psycho-Social Care Training

1. General Background of the PSS project
In 2008, a study was conducted by Plan WARO research team aimed at investigating the psycho-social impact of parental loss and orphan hood on children in the North West Region of Cameroon. Areas covered by the study included Momo Division and Bafut in the Mezam Division amongst other Divisions. The study reveals amongst others concern that children suffers from one psycho-social malaise or another and other pertinent risk factors that exposed them to multiple social malaise such as children living with caretaker who are mentally ill or children whose parents are mentally ill, children whose parents are in prison, children from broken homes, children in a polygamous home whose mothers are not the favorite, street children, children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, etc. A major consequences identified was mental disorders among the children marked by “Bizarre” or socially non-acceptable behavior. The incidence of suicidal behavior was also strongly highlighted in the report.
In an effort to address these issues, the research team proposed the development of a holistic and integrated policies and programs for vulnerable children with geared towards building the capacity of government actors, the civil society and community actors in Plan-partner councils in the North West Region (NWR) to protect children from violence and abuse and to provide direct psychosocial support to 2600 identified children living in very difficult conditions. Initially, the project was to operate for three years (2010 to 2013) but has been extended to 2014 so as to conveniently complete activities envisage within the framework of the project as well as multiplying its impact.
2. Introduction to psychosocial care and the raison d’être for psychosocial care training
Psychosocial care refers to the unseen emotional and spiritual process that take place within and individual mind and the relationship between those who live around him or her. To better manage this complex state of the mind, five (05) Community Based organizations (CBO) were once more refreshed on psychosocial care to permit them to be of great help to themselves and especially to vulnerable children in their communities. It was very imperative for these CBO members to be deepened knowledge on some of the basic skills and exercises on psychosocial care in other to give their time for the best interest of children. It was equally important for partner CBO members to understand how to support their community members to always take in to account the developmental stage of the child, their rights, and their basic needs and given them the opportunity to speak out. Furthermore, promoting their social interaction aimed at empowering them and referring where appropriate to relevant quarter to avoid stigmatization so that they can receive the best support that is encouraging and sustainable in the enhancement of their self esteem that will further permit them acquire life skills including general knowledge of the society.
3. Specific Objectives
• Deepened participant’s knowledge on the concept of psychosocial care
• Participants understand the principles of psychosocial support.
• Participants understand the basic needs of children
• Participants understand who a vulnerable child is
• Participants understand the various risk of vulnerability
• Participants understand the various categories of child abuse and child rights and some of the common signs and indicators of vulnerability and abuse as well as consequences
• Participants know how to help a child report sexual abuse
• Participants understand some common techniques addressing the child psychosocial problem
• Participants understands the difference between stress and trauma
• Participants understand some mental illnesses in other to prevent them
• Participants understand what is meant by psycho education
• Participants understand how to conduct a counseling session
• Participants understand how to conduct family mediation
• Participant understand anger management and some traditional believe in psychological assistance
• Participants come up with an Action Plan to enable them replicate knowledge gain to community members to permit them be at the same level of information
4. Participants
One hundred fifteen people participated from the communities of Mforya, Kamgoh, Tingoh, Mbebali and Courageous Mbebali.
5. Summary analysis and conclusion
The psychosocial support project is already creating a social changes in attitudes. Families have embarked in creating a conflict free homes where dialogue is at the center of the day to permit them to manage any approaching storm. They have become aware that to “break the home is breaking the child” Going by the testimonies expressed during the refresher, it was observed that the refresher met the needs of the time. Through the lectures, community members are now reviewing their lives by reshaping their attitudes and thus creating an ideal home for the common interest. With the ultimate goal to establish admirable communities, parents were encouraged to use a loving rather than a disciplinary attitude towards their children to permit them tap the best out of their children. Furthermore, with deepening skills in participants; one can be convince of a peaceful and conducive society where children and their parents will live to benefit from their own society even in the long run to talk about the land mark impact of a live transforming psychosocial support project.