Promo%ngsocialinclusionandrespectfordiversityin%mesof
HIVandAIDS
BrightonGwezera&NoreenMHuniwww.repssi.org
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OVERVIEW
• REPSSIoverview&strategicobjec5ves• Thesitua5on:triplecrisis‐HIV&AIDS,povertyandconflict• Responding:
– SocialInclusion&RespectforDiversity– Rightsbasedprogramming
• Enhancinglocalcapacitytosupportcaregiversandcommuni5es– Prac5calexperienceofREPSSIinpsychosocialsupport– Benefitstothechildren
• Conclusion
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REPSSISTRATEGICOBJECTIVES
1. Developknowledgeintheapplica5onofpsychosocialcareandsupport(PSS).
2. Facilitateskillandinforma5onexchangeonpsychosocialcareandsupport.
3. Strengthenthecapacityofgovernments,civilsocietyandotherins5tu5onstorespondtopsychosocialneedsofchildrenaffectedbyHIVandAIDS,povertyandconflict.
4. Strengthenthemonitoringandevalua5onsystemofREPSSIandpartners.
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• ImpactisfeltbymillionsofyoungchildreninEastandSouthernAfrica.Manyposi5veculturalprac5ceshavebeenlostandsomecon5nuetobeeroded.
• Thesechildrenfacemul5plestressors,forexample:1. Lossofcaregiversandlovedones,2. Lossoftheirrights3. Increasedpoverty4. Socialisola5on,sigmaanddiscrimina5on5. Dropoutfromschool
6. Lossoffamilyassets
THESITUATION:TRIPLECRISIS‐HIV&AIDS,poverty&conflict
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THESITUATION:TRIPLECRISIS‐HIV&AIDS,poverty&conflict
• Africanvalues:Africancultures‐everychildbelongstothecommunity!
• Willingnessremains.
• Needtomobilizeandstrengthenthecommuni5esandcaregiversinordertoeffec5velycareandsupportthesechildrenusingapproachesthat:– Promotesocialinclusionandrespectfordiversity
– Promoterightsbasedprogramming
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RESPONDING:SOCIALINCLUSION&RESPECTFORDIVERSITY
SI&RDinthefaceofHIVandAIDSinEastand
SouthernAfricacanbeunderstoodfromthepointofviewofitsgoalsatindividualandfamilylevel:
• Meaningfulpeerrela5onships,friendshipsandsocial5es• Asenseofbelonging• Asenseofself‐worth,ofvalue,andself‐esteem
• Trustinothers• Accesstoopportuni5esforfullpar5cipa5onPSS–keyforSI&RD
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RIGHTSBASEDPROGRAMMING
• ProgramsseekingtopromoteSIandRDshouldbe:
– Basedonrights‐basedprogrammingapproach– BasedonTheConven5onontheRightsoftheChild
• ‘Thebestinterestofthechild’– Understandthatchildrenarebestcaredforandsupportedintheirfamiliarenvironment,hencetheneedtoenhancethecapacityoffamilies,caregiversandcommuni5es.
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ENHANCINGLOCALCAPACITYTOSUPPORTCOMMUNITIES&CAREGIVERS
REPSSIbuildsthecapacityoforganisa5ons&communi5es(policy,humanresources,deliverycompetenciesandengagement
withtheaffectedcommuni%es)toenablemainstreamingPsychosocialcareandsupportintotheirchildcare
prac5ces.Processesinclude:
1. Organisa5onalPSScapacityselfassessments
2. Trainings3. Mentoringandcoaching,&facilitatedreflec5onsonprac5ces.4. Exchangevisits5. MonitoringandEvalua5on,andresearch.
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSSCaseexamples:• KenyaOrphansRuralDevelopmentProgramme(Kenya).
• KwaWazee
(Tanzania)
• MarangChildCareNetworkTrust(Botswana)
• ConsolHomes(Malawi)
Exchange visits facilitated: Sharing on mainstreaming psychosocial support into ECD programs. Cross cultural and regional learning
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
Theseorganisa5onshavesimilaraims:
1.Workwithimpoverishedcommuni5esthathavebeenseverelyimpactedbytheHIVandAIDS
2.Buildthecapacityofcommuni5esandcaregiverstocareandsupportorphansandothervulnerablechildren
3.Provideholis5ccareandsupporttoyoungchildrenthroughmainstreamingPSSintoECDprogrammes
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
1. Introduc%ontoPSStrainingatcommunityandorganisa%onallevel
‘When is my mother coming back?’ Agnes,4yearsoldwhohasjustlosthermotherposesaques5on
toherdaycareteacher.
• MostECDteachercollegecurriculumdoesnotequipstudentswithskillstodealwithsuchsitua5ons.
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
Thetrainingimpartsbasicinforma5onabout:
• PsychosocialSupport(PSS)• ChildDevelopment• Resilience• Basiccounselling
Courseisdesignedtohelpprogramstaff,volunteersgainknowledgeandskillsinPSSforchildren.
Mental
Social
Spiritual
Spiritual
Emotional
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
2.TrainingintheJourneyofLifeatorganaisa%onalandcommunitylevel
• Enhancescommunitysupportforchildren.Usesdrama,art,songsanddiscussiontodevelopnewskills.
• Usefulwithcaregiversandcommunitybasedstructuresofwithvaryinglevelsofeduca5on.
• Increasestheawarenessofcommuni5estounderstandtheneedsofchildrenandhowtosupportthem.
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
‘TheJoLtoolprovedtobeapowerfultooltomobilize
communi9estowardsasocialconceptofacceptance,equality
andinclusion’
WhoaretheECDteachers?
Whatformoftrainingdotheyhave?Whatformofsupportdotheyhave?Wherearetheac%vi%eshappening?
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MOBILISINGCOMMUNITIES.
Benefitstothefamily&community:
• Sharingtheresponsibilityofraisingchildreninacaringandnurturingenvironment
• Encouragesrespecculadtudesandbehaviorbetweenpeople
• Breakingthes5gmaanddiscrimina5onofillnessandotherformsofadversity
• Encouragesnetworking• Encouragescommunitypar5cipa5on
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PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
3.Mentoringandcoaching&reflec%ons:Coreelementsinthedevelopmentofpartnerstaffandofthe
organiza5onitself.Poten5albenefitsinclude:– Reducedfeelingsofisola%on– Reducedstressandfrustra%on– Increasedconfidenceandself‐esteem– Anacceleratedrateoflearning
Mentorsarealsovaluablesourcesofpsychosocialsupportthathelpsmenteestofeelcompetent,effec5ve,asserviceproviders.
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4.GuidelinesformainstreamingPSS
Usefulinfacilita5ng safe disclosure forchildreninfected& affected by HIV &AIDS.
Practical steps to mainstream PSS into early childhood development programmes. Practical steps to
mainstream PSS into pediatric HIV & AIDS.
PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
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BENEFITSTOTHECHILDREN
• Enhancesthepar5cipa5onofthechildinhis/herdevelopment
• Enhanceschangeinadtudeand
behavior• Boostsself‐esteemandconfidencelevelofthechild
• Childfeelsvaluedandprotected• Enhancesasenseofbelonginginthechild• Givesthechildrentheopportunitytobenefitfromdifferentrolemodelsinthecommunity
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5.Earlyliteracyprogramme
• Guidesfacilitatorsworkingwithvolunteers,communityworkersandteacherassistantstosupportearlyliteracyinhomeandschoolenvironments.
• Promoteinclusiveandchildcentrededuca5on.
6.AcademicCer%ficateCourse• REPSSI/UNICEF/UKZNcollabora5on• 560communityprac5onersfrom8Africancountries
PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
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• Helpstodeepenunderstandingofhowchildrenlearntoreadandwrite
• Posi5verela5onshipswithcaringtutorshaveanimpactonchildren’sselfworthandconfidence.
• Abasiclevelofliteracyisafounda5onforfurthereduca5onandasteppingstoneoutofpoverty.
• Bringsasenseofcommunityforparents.Createsaposi5ve,nurturingspaceforcaregiverstoshareideasandaskques5ons.
PRACTICALEXPERIENCEOFREPSSIINPSS
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• REPSSImostlyusesnonprescrip5vetoolswhichallowroomforcommuni5estoexploreandstrengthenownsolu5ons
• Useofillustra5onsisverypowerfulatcommunitylevel.‘Emo9onswerewellcapturedinthedrawingstotrigger or allow par9cipants to relate to the topic beingdiscussed. Their use is agreatway to engagepersonsespeciallythosewhocannotreadandwrite.’
CONCLUSION
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Threeimportantpointsthatcanhelpourprogrammes
orservicesfocusonSIandRD:1. AdoptSIandRDasanaturalexpressionofapeople’svalueswithregardtotheirchildrenandtheircommunity.
2. SIandRDenhancesthechildren'sopportuni5estoaccesstheirrightsaschildren.
3. SIandRDbringscompletenessinthepsychosocialwellbeingofchildrenandtheirfamilies.
CONCLUSION
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REPSSIiscallingforUNIVERSALQualityECDprogrammesforallchildrenespeciallyintheadvertofHIV&AIDS.
beginswiththesechildren.
Wherethereisacommunity,thereare
children.
Effec5vedevelopmentbeginswiththese
children.