Project Description
The primary goal of this program was to produce PNG counselling graduates with culturally effective professional knowledge and skills, as part of a broader response to address wide-ranging, prevalent individual and social problems in PNG e.g., family and sexual violence, trauma, disability, childhood abuse. I led a team, collaborating with 80+ stakeholders, to design a strategic learning and teaching response, in the form of a counselling program, to educate and build capacity of PNG counsellors. Understanding the importance of respecting Indigenous knowledge, culture, and ways of learning I consulted with community elders and the PNG Counselling Association to ensure our curriculum was cohesive, evidence-based, and sensitive to Melanesian and Pacific cultures.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
PNG counsellors and they organisations in which they work, counselling clients, PNG society, PNG Counselling Association.
Outcomes to Date
Student learning: Counselling knowledge and skills significantly improved and students demonstrated deeper understanding and changed attitudes to working with family and gender-based violence and disability (significant social problems in PNG); it is hard to imagine a greater impact on the social awareness of students and particularly in a country in dire need of change around such issue.
Graduate employability: We produced graduates who have secured international and national counselling and leadership roles such as ‘Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer: International Committee of the Red Cross’ and ‘Team leader: Mental health project in collaboration with WHO’.
Project Significance
The education of PNG counselling providers and the subsequent effect this was on PNG citizens directly aligns with ‘ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages’ (SDG3). The fact this this program is delivered to a population that lacks access to formal education directly aligns with ‘ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all’ (SDG4).