Training of Aunties on adolescent counselling (Bamenda, Ayaba Hotel, 04 – 08/12/ 2005) Training of Aunties on adolescent counselling (Bamenda, Ayaba Hotel, 04 – 08/12/ 2005) Orgnised by: PGCSS-REGA In collaboration with: RENATA

Introduction to counselling

What counselling is not! A conversation A conversation A journalistic interview A journalistic interview A discussion A discussion An interogatory An interogatory A confession A confession A predication A predication A psychotherapy A psychotherapy

What counselling is not! A dramatic relation, where you have:  a Victim (ex: pregnant adolescent)  a Rescuer (ex: Aunty helping the adolescent)  a Persecutor (author of the pregnancy or father of the girl who drove her from home)

What counselling is A conversation where one is guided A relation in which an adolescent will be assisted to operate his personal adjustment to a situation she/he might not adapt without the support or help from third person

Objectives of counselling It is not to solve the adolescent problem for him It is not to impose advice on adolescents It is to enable adolescents intergrate a new situation, to better find ressources, to develop their own capacity of choice in changing their situations It is to favour adolescent’s psychological, social, physical, spiritual well-being.

What implication for the consellor? The capacity to decentralise on oneself to center on others The puting into practice of active listening The practice of an authentic presence The exercise of empaty The facilitation to explore problems and solutions

Preliminaries in counselling Permission : Where do I have the permission to intervene? Power : Do I have the capacity in doing what the client asks me? Protection : Do I have the necessary protection to engage myself in this relation? Pleasure : Do i find pleasure in the help that I bring to others?

Counselling is then: Welcoming the adolescent Welcoming the adolescent Listening actively to him Listening actively to him Reflect with him Reflect with him Explore possible solutions with him Explore possible solutions with him Let’s him make his Choice Let’s him make his Choice Give him a Rendez-vous for follow- up Give him a Rendez-vous for follow- up

Models of behavioural change There exist three models Of behavioural change

1 st Model Risk elimination (One does not want a problem to occur. Ex: Never to have sexual intercourse in one’s life to avoid STI and pregnancy) [Risk elimination is often difficult to implement or respect. With time or age, one may change his/her decision]

2 nd Model Risk reduction (Although there could be a problem, one manages to avoid it, by reducing the risk. Ex: –One has sexual intercourse, but with only one partener (faithfulness), – One uses condom, –Or one takes pills to avoid either unwanted pregnancy, either STI or both at the same time [There is no 0 risk : condom can get broken, one can forget to take pills]

3 rd Model Risk management (One is already facing the problem, one doen’t not just want to extend or that its consequences are unbearable or dramatic). Ex: –Pregnant adolescent who would like to abort becasue she doesn’t want to abandon school or fear conflicts with her parents. –A HIV infected person who must systematically protect him/herself to avoid infecting her/his partner.

Model dynamics Risk elimination Risk reduction Risk management NB: Adolescents can switch from one model to the other one and backwards.

Questions To what models correspond the following problems: An adolescent who is not sexually active An adolescent who is not sexually active An adolescent who wants to use condoms An adolescent who wants to use condoms An young girl who would like to learn to count her menstrual cycle because the boyfriend doesn’t want them to use condom. An young girl who would like to learn to count her menstrual cycle because the boyfriend doesn’t want them to use condom. Should Aunties follow one special model ?

Conclusion All depend on the type of problem The desires and needs of the person who is having the problem It is necessary and very important to listen to the person and not to try to impose one’s own view or opinion Orientation, guidance is the key of counselling

Thanks for your Attention