FAMSA WC also provides professional (by a social worker), as well as first-line lay counselling and support, in the areas of Mitchell’ Plain, Elsies River, Bishop Lavis, Factreton, Dunoon and Joe Slovo Park.   This is a free service which is easily accessible to those in need of counselling and support.  

 

In our South African society, many of us cannot avoid being affected by unemployment, poverty, violence, rape, gangsterism, substance abuse, to name only a few, whether in the home or our surrounding community.   These factors so often put further stress on our lives, relationships and families.

 

FAMSA believes that “healthy families/relationships inspire healthy communities”. 

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About FAMSA’s Community Lay Counsellors (CLCs)

Community lay counsellors are community members with a passion to help others.  They are trained in basic counselling skills and given support and guidance through monthly supervision and regular training.

 

Our community lay counsellors do basic relationship counselling and are trained to identify, contain and refer individuals, couples and families with relationship problems.   Our lay team also have basic training in Bereavement Counselling, Child Abuse related Counselling, Drug-related Counselling, McMasters Family Counselling, Peri-Natal Mental Health Counselling and Parenting Skills.  A social worker is available to each office for referral of clients in need of more in-depth counselling.

 

Lay counselling takes place at our satellite offices as well as various venues in the communities, such as schools, churches, resource centres and municipal facilities.

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As family life and positive relationships form the foundation of a healthy and buoyant society, it is clear that relationship counselling skills are vitally needed in all communities.   Relationship counselling includes marital counselling, counselling for individuals in relationships, same-sex couple counselling, families, adolescents, divorcing couples or individuals involved in divorce as well as HIV/AIDS patients and their partners and children.   Counsellors engage their clients who present with issues such as communication break-down, domestic violence, divorce, step families, parenting problems, substance abuse and HIV and AIDS.  Through active participation from the counsellor as well as the client in a safe and confidential environment of mutual acceptance, counselling is carried out in a series of one-hour sessions.   The counselling experience facilitates relationship healing and empowers clients to move forward in a positive way.

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Our lay counsellors

FAMSA WC does not have the funding to pay our lay counsellors, who do counselling on a voluntary basis.  However, volunteers are from a disadvantaged background themselves and in great need of remuneration.  We would love to be able to pay stipends to our dedicated counsellors.  If you can assist, please click here and assist us by donating to this fund.

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