Youthline Trains Up The Community

MAY 26, 2006

Youthline Trains Up The Community

Youthline Wellington is starting a series of talks on issues their phone counsellors would like to learn more about, and are inviting other community organisations to enjoy the opportunity to hear speakers and take part in the ongoing education programme.

Issues such as crisis intervention, sexual abuse and recovery, substance abuse including party pills and ‘P’, cultural sensitivity and self-harm are just some of the topics lined up the monthly sessions being run for Youthline counsellors and invited community organisations.

The inaugural workshop, ‘Cultural Sensitivity in Counselling’, is to be held on Monday, May 29 at Wellington’s St John’s in the City, and will be opened by Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, Minister for the Community and Voluntary sector – who was once a counsellor herself.

“I am sure Youthline’s Ongoing Education Programme will be rewarding and enriching, and that it will strengthen their abilities to provide a service that is essential to the social and cultural well-being of New Zealand, and where our young people can walk tall with the support they receive,” Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban says.

The Minister will be joined by therapist Roy Bowden, Pacific Representative on the World Council for Psychotherapy and experienced educator. Bowden is convinced new pathways are needed for health services to be culturally appropriate and sensitive to meanings which have their foundations in the history of the Pacific.

Also on the bill is the valuable perspective of Simone Piatti, manager of youth health service Evolve.

Youthline provides a free, confidential, non-judgemental phone counselling service for young people. It is run by volunteers, and most of their phone counsellors are themselves 18 to 25 years old.

Their Ongoing Education Programme has been set up with the funding assistance of Wellington City Council.

‘Cultural Sensitivity in Counselling’
Monday, May 29, 7 to 9pm

St John’s in the City, corner of Willis and Dixon, Wellington

ENDS

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