Sophie Counselling Centre, Haregaon, rural Maharashtra, Deccan Plateau

Background

The whole social and economic globalisation is reaching rural girls who need much education, guidance and counselling as they face various conflicting situations and choices especially as they are near the end of their High School years. St Therese School counts nearly 600 girls in the premises, all between the ages of ten and sixteen. Considering the family situations of many of them, the social environment and atmosphere in homes in which students spend most of their time, the inability of both parents and teachers to enforce discipline, the desire on the part of the students  for freedom to be and to explore, lead to situations that give rise to aggressive behavior and place a great strain on the whole system, especially on staff and management. Sisters and staff have already been handling some complex cases, but today with all the restrictions and rules of the Education System and the new Laws of Right to Information and Right to Education, they face many risky situations with our lack of training and certification. There is need for some guidance in the use of media, the approach to sex, self-defence and the choosing of future training. The  Government Grant System under which we run the school does not include any counselling program. 

Objective

To provide a counselling centre in the girl school of St. Therese, Haregaon.

Activities

• The project plans to make available counselling facilities to girls and teachers during school hours (group counselling).

• The Centre will be located in a space provided by the School and equipped from the project (for individual counselling).

• Counselling will begin on a part time basis for the first year until a suitable counsellor is identified and until teachers and students (girls) begin to be comfortable with the counselling processes and demand for more.

• A counsellor will be appointed after an initial temporary period, on a contract basis, renewed each year.

• Orientation sessions for teachers and girls will be provided

• Survey  with the help of teachers to identify girls in need of counselling as well as the situations that give rise to disturbed and unsettled behaviour of the girls.

• Periodic evaluation and adjustment of the project

Results

• Counselling facilities have been available for around 200 girls from the class 8^th to 10^th. They involve 20 girls facing personal and family problems. Some of the mothers also came for counselling.

• The girls who were facing specific personal or family problems were able to be open.

• Some of them even showed a progress in studies.

• The helping attitude is increased.

• Those who were not mixing with others and participating in any activities started relating with others, showed interest in games etc.

• Some of the parents reported the positive change in their children’s attitude.

People being served : Children and Young People

Age group : Children 0-17

Number of participants : 101-250

Project status : Completed

2 year schedule, 2014 - 2016 (as for the MHSF grant)

Society presence : India

Focus of the project : People

JPIC Imperative : Transforming and Being Transformed

UN Sustainable Development Goals : 17 Partnerships for the Goals, 4 Quality Education, 5 Gender Equality