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.