Counselling Cell, Directorate of school Education Jammu organized a three day orientation cum training programme on counselling skills for psychological task force from June 1 to 3, 2020 in collaboration with Bharatiya Counselling Psychology Association (BCPA).
More than 100 teacher counsellors of a recently constituted psychological task force attended it online. These sessions were live on facebook on the page of counselling cell DSEJ which benefited thousands of teacher counsellors from all the districts. Queries on facebook live were also answered by trained child psychologists’ counsellors.
In the inaugural session, Director School Education Jammu, Anuradha Gupta, while interacting with the psychological task force, highlighted the need for constitution of this task force. She said that mental health and well-being of students should be ensured amid corona outbreak and specific focus on kids, adolescents and teenagers, especially learners with disabilities should be laid upon. Prof. Arti Bakhshi HOD Psychology University of Jammu called upon task force to learn and apply practical skills for ensuring well-being of students. The key resource persons from BPCA were Dr. Ashutosh Srivastav, National President BPCA, Dr. Rajesh Bhatt, National Organizational Secretary BPCA, Dr. Madhu Bala Child Psychologist and Ravneet Kour, child Psychologist.
The sessions were conducted on relevant topics like basic counselling skills, child mental health and career counselling in Covid-19 context. Dr. Rajesh Bhatt acquainted the participants with basic counselling skills, various steps to be taken as task force, criteria to approach students, qualities of an effective counsellor, etc.
Whereas, Dr Madhu Bala highlighted various child mental health problems and childhood psychological disorders. She discussed anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism, pervasive developmental disorders, learning disabilities, etc with the participants. Dr. Ashutosh Srivastva enlightened upon career counselling in covid-19 context. He tried to clear myths of choosing the right career, discussed three rules for choosing a career and guides every participant to think, analyse and evaluate himself about his own.
The sessions become more meaningful and significant with the discussion held at the end of every session in which faculty teachers participated enthusiastically and tried to quench their thirst of getting more clarity and knowledge from the renowned resource persons.
In the valedictory session, Director School Education Jammu, asked the psychological task force to break this learning into actionable points. She said that they should consolidate their efforts by sharing and learning from each other’s experience. They should also do some case study, documentation with students. She called upon them to be torch-bearers and role models.
Head Counselling Cell DSEJ, Romesh Sharma said that this task force will work in consultation with Counselling Cell DSEJ for carrying out counselling initiatives/ interventions. He assured the task force members to organize more such programmes in collaboration with institutes of eminence.
It is pertinent to mention here that, this is in addition to tele-counselling helpline “Aao Baat Karein” and already functioning counselling cells in all Higher Secondary Schools and High Schools of Jammu division.
Team Counselling Cell DSEJ members viz. Alka Sharma, Shanti Swaroop, Indu Bala and technical people like Vikrant, Manveer from JKKN contributed in the smooth conduct of this three day orientation programme.