Sixteen special needs schools and organisations will begin benefitting from guidance counselling services this month via a programme being funded by the Office of the First Lady.
The guidance counselling programme was implemented last year by the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) with support from First Lady Arya Ali.
A release from her office said that Mrs Ali prioritized persons with disabilities (PWD) upon her assumption to office in 2020, implementing several projects and programmes which directly benefit them through her ‘InclusAbility’ initiative.
Last year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the release said that Mrs Ali was approached by GCOPD to provide funding for two counsellors who would provide psychosocial support to young people living with disabilities.
“This was a programme that was needed during the pandemic because of the devastating effects it was having on children and young persons with disabilities. Life was already difficult for them so the disruption that the pandemic brought compounded the issues they face,” GCOPD programme coordinator Ganesh Singh said.
So far, the programme has been introduced in nine Special Education Needs (SEN) schools and organisations in regions three and four. It will be introduced in seven more SEN schools and organisations beginning this month.
Group sessions have been held at those schools and organisations, focusing on social issues, and more personal matters including coping with adolescence and a disability.
Apart from those group sessions, individual sessions have also befitting more than 70 persons from regions two, three, four, five and six. `
The release said that individual sessions are between six and twelve, depending on the progress and willingness of the beneficiary.
Singh said that most of the sessions were done virtually due to the pandemic, but that there were some in-person sessions which were held. The lifting of COVID-19 regulations will allow for more in-person sessions to be conducted.
The First Lady said that her decision to support this programme was one which required little thought, as she believes it is “absolutely necessary” to provide these persons with this kind of support.
