THE Merebank High Adolescent Counselling Clinic commemorated its one year anniversary recently and celebrated transforming the lives of 21 pupils through various social interventions to help them cope and succeed in their lives.
Occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists and other specialists volunteered their services via the clinic to help the youth. The programme is based at the Merebank Secondary School, south of Durban.
Despite the success of the initiative, demand is growing and the clinic needs volunteers to invest in the future of youth.
Dr Sagie Naidu, the chairperson of the Merebank High Legacy Foundation, said the Merebank High Adolescent Counselling Clinic was an initiative of the 1979 matric class of Merebank Secondary School, who wanted to make a tangible contribution to their alma mater and the community.
“After a fact finding mission with the deputy principal, Dr Sandra Naicker, we established the need for a counselling centre. Adolescents are experiencing a myriad of challenges such as school bullying, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, teenage pregnancy, drug and chemical dependency, learning difficulties, social issues due to family breakdown, and the Covid-19 pandemic that interrupted their studies.
“We launched the clinic under the auspices of the Merebank High Legacy Foundation that is registered as a non-profit organisation. It was launched in July 2022 to coincide with the birthday of Nelson Mandela, who was the symbol of volunteerism and sacrifice. It was mainly funded by the class of ‘79 and other ex-pupils of Merebank High. It was warmly received by the Department of Education as a unique and much needed service to our youth.”
Naidu said the key members and heroines were the clinical team, who volunteer their professional services.
“They are dedicated and committed. Our clinicians are stretched to the limit. We appeal to more volunteer psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists to assist the clinic,” he said.
The clinical team comprises Navi Govender and Nerena Ramith (occupational therapists), Chantal Ajodia (social worker), and Anita Pather (psychologist).
The clinic is managed through a team effort with the management from Merebank Secondary School and the school governing body. The class of 1979 provides secretarial support.
Naidu said the classes of 1979 and 1980 and Justice Mohini Moodley have supported the initiative financially, while sponsors Rennie Naicker, the director of Bradcor Electrical, and Nandha Naidoo, of Cargo Movers, helped with the centre’s infrastructure.
“We hope to sustain this clinic with sponsorship from ex-pupils and business. The Legacy Foundation was established to encourage all ex-pupils to join the foundation for long term sustainability of the clinic. We would also like to see more involvement from the Department of Education to support this clinic. We hope to offer the services to other schools in the area.”
‘Hopelessness’
Naicker said there was a general sense of helplessness, hopelessness, anger and frustration among learners experiencing emotional challenges prior to the clinic opening.
“There was no school-based support that learners could approach to have their voices heard without feeling judged or victimised. Many learners bottled up their emotional issues which often erupted at the slightest triggers in the classroom, or on the playground. Learners experiencing psycho-social issues in the home-environment presented as most highly strung or completed disengaged in the classroom. Academic performance was negatively affected.”
She said since the centre opened, the level of change in the behaviour, academic progress, and emotional wellbeing of the learners referred to the centre had varied.
“Some have made remarkable turnarounds by engaging more positively in their family units and by improved social behaviour in school. Others are presenting as more in control of their emotional wellbeing through the coping strategies advised by the psychologist, social, worker and occupational therapist. There are also cases of visible positive changes in the body language and confidence levels of learners referred to the clinic.”
Naicker said as a deputy principal who was also responsible for tone and discipline at school, she saw the benefit of having interventions like the centre.
“Such interventions strengthen the discipline and management structure in schools. It forms a vital link between the learner, the home and the school. While the school is often focused on the misconduct of the learner and the administration of the school code of conduct, the clinic is focused on the psycho-social support and rehabilitation of the learner.
“The clinic affords the learner the opportunity to be the central focus of the holistic rehabilitation process. Such interventions also prevent learners from becoming repeat offenders.
“While parents often act defensively towards their children being sanctioned at school, they appear to be more embracing of the suggestions of the clinicians. The dynamics in the home environment change because the clinicians engage in intense sessions with both the parent and the learner on issues relevant to a conducive home environment. The clinicians also advise the school on strategies to manage the learners in therapy.
“The initiative of the adolescent counselling centre is a model in school governance. It illustrates how partnerships with the alumni, the community and the school can collectively work towards improving the tone and discipline in schools by addressing the psycho-social needs of learners through professional counselling,” she said.
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