4/14 Training Session

Today we accompanied Maurie, from Neo Birth, while she lead training sessions for the OVC program child care workers at Boitekong and Freedom Park. The purpose of these weekly training sessions is to provide the child care workers with the skills to intervene, counsel, and empower the orphaned and vulnerable children they look after everyday. This month was the most accomplished the OVC program has ever been with 7,000 interventions collectively in Boitekong and Freedom Park this month. The childcare workers each work full time without a salary. The Impala Platinum Mine gives each childcare worker a 1,000 Rand stipend each month. That is equivalent to approximately 143 dollars.

The method of training that Neo Birth practices is called “equip to serve”. This is what was discussed at today’s training session:

The goal of counseling children is to “speak the truth in love”. Condoms are not 100% safe, so one must not teach the youth to use a condom. Instead, one must teach the youth the true way of staying safe—abstinence.

One must not manipulate when counseling. Instead, one must minister from the Holy Scriptures. Only God can change people

Children send out an “SOS”. S: scared. O: Overwhelming pressures (internal and external). S: Strengths (must help find each child’s strengths and use it to boost the child).

Quality care workers practice “HUGE”. H: humility. U: unconditional love (condemn sin, but always be there for them). G: genuineness. E: empathy.

The phases of a crisis is: denial, bargaining, anger, depression, forgiveness, accountability, and resolution. Childcare workers must help children through the phases.

The five counseling skills: “RIGHT”. R: reflective listening (content). I: interpretive listening (feelings). G: good questions (where, when, who, what; do not ask why because that is a judgment and only God must judge) H: helpful feedback (relate to the child through personal experiences). T: tender confrontation (must build relationship first).

The care workers build relationships with children through playing, helping with homework, and working together to do chores.

We ended each training session with prayer.