TRAINING PROGRAMMES and PROJECTS
· To train and support counsellors and therapists involved in working within HIV/AIDS field.
· To provide a range of short, medium and long term courses (especially clinical and practical) for professional and lay counsellors. A major but not exclusive emphasis in the early phases of UBUBELE's development will be in the field of early childhood development, training ECD workers (teachers, child-minders, paediatric nurses etc.) in understanding the emotional development of the child and learning to communicate with the child via an understanding of the childs emotional status. We believe that work in this field is prophylactic and the most cost-effective investment for the mental health of the nation.
· To emphasize the training of practitioners conversant in languages spoken in disadvantaged communities.
· To offer practical training and education to pre-primary teachers, educators and child minders.
· To train Balint Group leaders and facilitators through experiential groups.
· To offer a physical and intellectual centre for various existing professional psychotherapy societies.
· To promote major conferences, small seminars and workshops for the general development of the psychotherapy and counselling field.
THERAPEUTIC SERVICE PROGRAMMES
Whilst the primary aim is focussed on training , all training will be experiential and offer clinical services at the same time. For instance-
· To offer psychotherapy and counselling to individuals, [children to adults] including HIV/AIDS patients.
· To establish a ' therapeutic ' nursery school for traumatised or distressed children.
· To offer relationship and family counselling.
· To provide art and music therapy as well as psychodrama. To provide group therapy.
· To provide a consultation, support and discussion forum for mental health NGO's.
· To offer individuals working constantly with others a group awareness forum. e.g. nurses, teachers, etc.
RESEARCH PROGRAMMES
· To develop a research model to survey and research the base line mental health status of Alexandra Township and to assess the availability, quality and functionality of the existing mental health resources. Following on from Alexandra, the centre would be used as a base for research into wider fields into Gauteng, South Africa and elsewhere in Africa.
· The collection of data and mapping of mental health statistics to contribute to the development of therapeutic models appropriate for Africa. This research would begin with a pilot in Alexandra, where the centre is located. To act as a data collection centre for further post graduate research.
· To have UBUBELE 's own functioning evaluated as part of its research objective.