HIV/AIDS COUNSELLING COURSE BLOEMFONTEIN ATICC Mr. Motseki Motlatla Reviewing personal awareness: world view and self awareness

Selection criteria for the course Understanding of English Passion for the subject Prepared to attend the course full and complete all modules concern Writing of the examination paper. Pass mark should be above 75%

MODULE: WORLD VIEW OBJECTIVES: Reflect on the impact of HIV/AIDS issues on oneself as counsellor Demonstrate understanding of the impact of prejudice, values and culture in counselling Demonstrate ability to identify personal strengths and weaknesses Demonstrate insight into the impact of one’s characteristics on interaction with others

MODULE: WORLD VIEW CONT. World view Self awareness Values and attitudes Cross cultural communication participants

METHOD Self awareness: 1. What is self awareness: 2. Definition 3. Why is self awareness in counselling 4. Why is it important in the training of counsellors

World view What is a world view? The importance of developing consciousness of issues about which is sensitive related to one’s past and present circumstances and experiences The impact of own beliefs and values on the way in which we respond to others Participants develop a consciousness of their own trigger incidents

Think how you will respond if the following were said to you What issues are particular sensitive ones for you? How could you best deal with them?

Task 1: Questionnaires Let the participants discuss the statements Show time count down Each statement for 1 minute Show each statement at a time for discussion purpose

Statements to be discussed 1. Have you always been quite overweight? 2. People like you always think you know better than people like us. 3. Its your race group that is responsible for South Africa’s problem now. 4. Women have a tendency to be catty to other women. That’s why its best to always have some men in the group.

Why don’t you have children/ have more children. I don’t think you’ve prepared well for this session. Perhaps you’re not cut out for this type of work if you’re feeling so upset by what I’ve said. What qualification do you have in order to carry out this type of work. Quite frankly I don’t see the point of this exercise!

Sensitive exercise The importance of self reflection as a counsellor.

Two minutes per statement Brainstorm one positive and one negative generalization/stereotype for each of the listed categories on the worksheets These need not represent your own view but stereotypes commonly held within our society at large

Self awareness and world view How did you feel about stating the negative stereotype? How did you feel about the negative stereotype raised about group, which represent you? How do think that these stereotype could impact the counselling situation?

People often hesitate to raise the negative stereotypes. However given the opportunity to raise general stereotype they tend to freely express some of their own without having to own them People find difficult to hear the negative statement about groups with which they identify.

Stereotype often result from fear and misunderstanding. Encourage mutual respect and understanding Value difference rather than having to see ourselves as better or worse

Self concept 1. The way we see ourselves influences the way we behave and the way we respond to the behavior of others towards us Self awareness allows us to discriminate between our own problem and that of others. Without the self awareness we may run the risk of of imaging that everyone else has the same problem that we do.( called projection)

Three stages in developing self awareness First stage: unskilled stage The person is unaware of the range of possible skills, intervention available to them Tendency to believe that we are born counsellors; skill will either come natural or not be developed at all.

Second stage: gradual awareness Gradually the person become aware of the possible range of intervention and feels less clumsy as a results

Third stage : increased skill Skill and intervention are absorbed in person and we become skilled. Conscious use of self, become normal, no longer feels so clumsy. Respond easily,readily.

Self concept is shaped by Personal factors Personal circumstances Experience Culture and religious beliefs Social context

World view World view refer to the way in which we perceive the world – our values and beliefs, attitude etc. Each human being is unique We all have our own perception of the world and the people in it It comes from media,experiences and social upbringing

There are always particular issues or behavior that provoked particularly strong reaction in us. These situations arise because of our past and sometime present experiences and sometimes trigger reaction in us that may be destructive They may also relate to differences in beliefs and values We need to find constructive ways of dealing with them

ATTITUDES Objective of this session explore your own attitude towards people at risk. Explore their attitude towards people infected and affected with HIV/AIDS Demonstrate understanding of how personal attitude may influence the counselling process.

Debate the following statement Promiscuous people are at risk of contracting HIV. Sex workers place men at risk of becoming infected with HIV. Drug users are weak-willed persons

Debriefing How did you feel exposing your values to others? What was it like to see others disagree with you? How did you feel? How did it feel to listen to different views without trying to change others opinion?

POEM Alone and frightened Out there, alone and frightened Of the darkness, the days are long Life is hiding, no more making new contact No more loving arms thrown around my neck Take my hand now, I ‘m tired and lonely

Give me love, give me hope Don’t desert me. Don’t reject me All I need is love and understanding Today it’s me, tomorrow someone else its me and you, we’ve got to stand up and fight We’ll shed a light in the fight against aids In times of joy, in times of sorrow

Let”s take a stand and fight on to the end With open hearts, let’s stand out And speak out to the world- we’ll save some lives Save the children of the world Let’s be open, advise the young ones A new generation to protect and love

Hear them singing, playing, laughing Let’s give them everything in truth and love Take the message, cross the frontiers Break the barriers, we’ll fight together The doors are open, we’ll lead the struggle We won’t bow down in defeat, we’ll fight on….. Died of aids, 15 December 1989 By Phil Bonguley Lutaaya