MENTAL HEALTH

The Paracounsellor Model

psychosocial support to the Rohingya community

ensuring better mental health and wellbeing

Four-Tiered Staffing Structure

Barefoot counsellors
Paracounsellor
Counselling psychologists
Experts supervisors

Teacher Plus Model

designed to ensure the socio-emotional well-being

The intervention consisted of 12 sessions on SRHR and psychosocial issues:

Relationship
Physical and mental changes
Stress
Anger
Goal settings
Exam phobia etc.

The Teacher Plus Model integrated psychosocial counseling and SRHR education in classrooms so as to identify these issues and help equip students find ways to cope with their socio-emotional dilemmas.

Research conducted following the intervention shows that adolescents mentioned that their stress has been largely reduced; Teachers in turn noted positive changes in their relationships to students, with students being less hesitant to approach their teachers, finding them friendly, open-minded and willing to help.

111. Caption – BRAC HPL _ Camera – 5D Mark IV _ Photographer – Shananuzzaman Angkan _ Year – 2019 _ Copyright – BRAC IED

Barefoot Counsellors

Volunteers from the Rohingya and host community. Trained in empathetic listening, understanding basic emotions and values, nonjudgmental attitudes, and confidentiality. Observe and identify withdrawn and aggressive children and refer them to the para-counselors.

74. Caption – BRAC HPL _ Camera – 5D Mark IV _ Photographer – Shananuzzaman Angkan _ Year – 2019 _ Copyright – BRAC IED

Paracounsellors

Trained on basic psychosocial support, experienced with the Rohingya community. Also provide psychosocial support, as needed and as advised by BRAC’s psychologists. BRAC IED has a total of 119 para counsellors employed in Cox’s Bazar.

54. Caption – BRAC HPL _ Camera – 5D Mark IV _ Photographer – Shananuzzaman Angkan _ Year – 2019 _ Copyright – BRAC IED

Counseling Psychologists

Supervise all identified cases, provide support for complex cases, trains barefoot counselors and para-counselors. Confer with para-counselors. Provide weekly clinical supervision. Also manage the cases requiring advanced support

50. Caption – BRAC HPL _ Camera – 5D Mark IV _ Photographer – Shananuzzaman Angkan _ Year – 2019 _ Copyright – BRAC IED

Experts Supervisor

Supervise the psychologists and develop capacity-building initiatives for the other tiers of psychosocial support staff. BRAC IED’s experts are also responsible for advanced assessment and providing psychotherapy in critical cases.