Monday, June 23, 2008

Child Centered Counselling Seminar - June 22nd 2008






Report on the child centered counselling Seminar

We had registered 28 participants.







Rationale for this seminar:

Play therapy can be done through storytelling, drama (“playing make-believe”), games, puppets, dolls, masks, drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.  At present, very few of our child counsellors are trained in, or are even aware of, these play-based methods, which can be used to draw a child into discussing what is going on with him/her. 

 Instead, in the organisations that work with children and seek to utilise counsellors to provide children with emotional support and facilitate children’s self-understanding, “talk therapy” is the main method used.  Talk therapy helps adults, but does it work for children?  A child may find it difficult to express him/herself in analytical words -- and all the more so when asked to talk directly about his/her problems with an adult.  A child-counselling session should be all about the child: when a counsellor uses a medium like analytical talk, which he/she is comfortable with, the counsellor may not be approaching the situation from the child’s perspective, and may not be utilising the child’s primary abilities.  This might be unfair to the child, and might also be ineffective: the counsellor could very easily assume what is happening, instead of actually knowing what is happening.  

 The seminar was designed to create a space to discuss the issues, problems, concerns, and frustrations encountered, and how to improve our current response systems.  Participants will have opportunities to network with colleagues, share their knowledge, and draw up individual and collective action plans to implement child centered counselling in the institutions in which they work. 

Agenda of the workshop:

09.30 to 10.00 AM       : Registration

10.00 to 10.15 AM       : Introduction of participants and Organisation

 10.15 to 11.00 AM        : Child centered counselling concept, Training experiences on    

      CCC – Magdalene Jeyarathnam, Center for Counselling

      Eric Miller, World Storytelling Institute

      (Dr P Manorama to chair the session)

11.00 to 11.15 AM       : Tea break

 11.15 to 11.35 AM       : Government response to the Child Centered Counselling-

     Dr.P.Manorama Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee

                                         (Magdalene will chair the session)

 11.35 to 11.55 AM       : Child Centered Counselling in Schools

                                         (Dr Manarama and Magdalene will chair the session)

     Roshini Kumar – Counsellor, Olcott Memorial School

 11.55 to 12.15 PM       : D. Angeline - Director, Green Valley matriculation and

     Higher Secondary school         

 12.15 to 12.35 PM       : Faith Based Organisations’ response to Child Centered

Counselling (Dr Manarama and Angeline will chair the     session)

    Nirmal Thomas, Compassion India (NGO)

12.35 to 12.55 PM       : Rupa Santhanam, World Vision

01.00 to 01.45 PM       : Lunch

01.45 to  03.00 PM     : Panel Discussion and taking this forward (Dr Manarama and Magdalene                                          will facilitate the session)

 Participant list:

 

Name

Organisation Name and Address

Email id and contact number

1

Anitha Mohan

RASA

9841442671

Anumo_242@hotmail.com

2

Jansi Margaret

ICCW TN

9444799777

iccwtn@md3.vsnl.net.in

3

Shyne K J

Sneha Sadan, Mangalore

shynekjose@gmail.com

9731213872

4

Sr Shantha

Marialaya

Street childrens project

9444926131

shanthamarym@gmail.com

5

Meena

Homemaker

9976474654, meenabalaji2007@gmail.com

6

Srithi Kannan

Swayam kiriti learning centre

sriti.kannan@gmail.com

7

Esther Barnabas

 

 

Christian fellowship

 

epadmini@in.ci.org

9380535352

8

Esther Martin

esgab_13@hotmail.com

9884046153

9

Anita Chandrasekar

anita_2102@yahoo.com

9444174997

10

Rupa Sathanantham

World Vision

9840833324

rupa.wv@gmail.com

11

Samantha Ruth

Special educator

 

12

Dr Manorama

Child welfare committee chairperson

Project Director, CHES

9444077177

"Pinagapany Manorama" ,

13

Deepa T.

Brosiga Animation Centre

9941595453

14

Thamilarasi.S

Special Educator (V Excel , Mandavelli)

thamilarasi_s@hotmail.com

9841304444

15

Aishwarya .S

Bright Kids preschool and learning centre

rajeashu@yahoo.co.in

9380732495

16

Manikya Rao

Spandana Educational Society

ses_20012002@yahoo.co.in

9849746674

 

17

Shanmugam.S

Brother Siga Animation Center

 no.a-248, b-kalyanapuram,

s.m.nagar main road, vyasarpadi

chennai-600 039

bsac1@rediffmail.com

chn_tail@hotmail.com

Phone: (044)26731284

Mobile: 9940173901

18

M.Kamalakannan

 

 

 

Child Heaven International(India)

Kaliayam poodi village

Kancheepuram District

044-27292921

19

D.Murugan

044-27292921

20

Bailey Schergevitch

thelmasgun@hotmail.com

21

S.Thilagar

044-27292921

22

P.Paulinmary

044-27292921

23

G.Thenmozhi

044-27292921

24

P.Padmanaban

044-27292921

25

Weslin Panakal

Andrew Panakal Foundation

26163951

weslinpanakal@yahoo.com

26

Mridula Anand

Teacher ( KVAN school)

26561321

ananda001@rediffmail.com

27

Roshini Kumar

School Counsellor

Olcott Memorial School

Adyar

9444047587

roshini_traviesa@yahoo.com

28

Angeline D

Director

Green Valley School

Mogappair

9840378494

angieshub@gmail.com

Discussion points at the end of the session:

  1. A pilot study on the effectiveness of  these child centered approaches need to be carried out. World Vision Ms Rupa Sathanantham said they might be interested in funding this.
  2. Magdalene Jeyarathnam suggested that all those present could join the counsellors forum which had 72 members already to  discuss issues that are coming up in their work. This could serve as an informal counselling supervision for now
  3. Dr Manorama said she will prepare a resource directory of child services for the benefit of all those who were working with children
  4. Dr Manorama also recommended that this group could meet every 3 months to see if any progress has been made with respect to child centered counselling.
  5. We planned to make a list of those who are willing to work with the government reception home that Dr Manorama discussed about
  6. Magdalene announced a dance therapy workshop to be held in the Center for Counselling office on the 25th June for those who might want to try this approach with children
  7.  All those present wished to be in touch with one another and be informed of various programmes/ workshops/ seminars for working with children

Training in Warangal - 16 to 19 June 2008






The training center was a great one. All the participants enjoyed being there. 

We are hoping that this workshop like the others is followed up well. 

Kumar Nagarajan from Alliance India, Delhi office made a difference because it showed how they had prioritised the training.

This training had 3 languages spoken - English, Telugu and Tamil.