Door is still open to learners
MIDRAND – Midrand Police Stations' Victim Empowerment Centre impacts the learners of Blue Hills College.
After weeks of empowering learners and helping them to deal with their personal problems, Midrand Police Station‘s Victim Empowerment Centre (VEC) said their goodbyes at the end of their counselling programme at Blue Hills College.
The programme was implemented after a drug search was conducted by Midrand police with the assistance of the centre at the school.
Principal Bekithemba Ndlovu then approached the centre to assist his learners as they discovered most of them had challenges that resulted in the use of drugs.
Ndlovu said they also had issues of bullying and theft, which had to be addressed. He added that in the school had six disciplinary committee meetings the first term which led to four learners being expelled for illegal substance abuse and one for bullying.
“But when we compare as we end term two, where counselors of VEC have had engagements with the learners, we haven’t had even a single sit in with the disciplinary committee, which is quite unusual.”
Speaking on behalf of the centre, counsellor Desiree Govender said their goal was to address issues surrounding bullying, domestic violence, substance abuse, and suicide by counselling the learners and providing them with guidance and psychoeducation in areas of emotional, psychological, educational, personal and social challenges which they are currently experiencing.
“Sometimes all a learner wants is someone who will listen to them without the fear of judgement and this process of emotional catharsis can be quiet liberating. Learners everywhere are deeply troubled with personal family problems, which end up affecting their school performance as well as relationships at home and socially.
“In this 10-week-long process, VEC assigned six counsellors to the school to help the learners develop attitudes and skills surrounding planning, decision making, personal responsibility regarding cause and effect of their actions, engaging in positive behavior, conflict resolution and more.”
Govender concluded that the counselling need not end because some of the learners have formed a relationship with their counsellor, so the centre’s doors are open for them at the police station.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/211976/meth-suspects-arrested/
