Ba Futuru's Community Recovery Courses

Since July 2007 Ba Futuru has been working to develop a psychosocial recovery component of its ongoing TAHRE Program. The addition of this component will help to fill the void of service providers in the area of trauma and mental health. The long-term objective is to professionalize psychosocial counseling and trauma recovery services in Timor-Leste together with Southern Cross University (SCU) Australia, Pradet, Hope, UNICEF, and the RDTL Government. Together we hope to develop a thriving social services sector with trained competent therapists that can help Timor-Leste recover from its vast societal trauma.

In June and July of 2007, four of Ba Futuru’s facilitators received counseling preparedness training from Ina Varella Bradridge, a Timorese woman who completing her Masters Degree in Trauma Counseling at SCU in Australia. In late October 2007, a second intensive round of workshops built upon the knowledge and skills gained in the initial stage of counseling training and also included the addition of Pradet’s staff. Professor Judy Knox, a lecturer from SCU, led workshops for Ba Futuru and Pradet staff. Professor Knox and Bradridge taught psychosocial counseling techniques, adapting a training manual entitled “Indigenous Counselor Training” from the Australian Ingenious Trauma Studies curriculum. The methods learned included music and art therapy and mediation and relaxation. Pradet and Ba Futuru trainees then practiced these skills in the field with oversight by Bradridge at Tibar Ismaik Rehabilitation Center. This included an initial assessment followed by individual counseling and group music, art, meditation and relaxation therapy with malnutrition and tuberculosis patients.

In April 2008 another course was held for Ba Futuru and Pradet staff, this time with the help of Professor Judy Atkinson. This was the Third Unit of study entitled: “Healing the Hurts – Loss and Grief Counseling Training.” Professor Atkinson is a prominent trauma counseling lecturer and Head of College of Indigenous Australian Peoples at SCU. The training was once again carried out together with Bradridge.

It is important to have one expert in the field of trauma counseling as well as a highly trained Timorese lecturer, to ensure that the trauma recovery trainings are able to incorporate as much culturally appropriate adaptation as possible. The objective of these trainings and mentoring sessions with Ba Futuru and Pradet facilitators is to help further develop their psychosocial counseling and trauma recovery skills. So far these training have been successful at developing national staff capacity to improve the quality of their work in the social service sector.

One of Ba Futuru’s staff, Judit de Sousa, reported: “I felt really proud to join this counseling program, because it takes advantage of my natural ability.”  When asked what she got out of it, Judit said: “Before I attended this program, I did not yet understand about how someone might feel when they encountered certain problems, but after this training, I feel that not only can I better control myself when I face problems, but I can also help others to find solutions for their problems.  I also learned how to be more compassionate and give attention to a person in need as well as to be a good listener, neutral and confidential.  After this training I’ve decided that I want to be a good counselor so that I can better help others.”  

The long-term objective of this program is to work together with the Timor-Leste government and other partners in order to develop a set of Psychosocial Recovery courses whereby the national participants will receive diplomas from Southern Cross University after three years of study and practice. Thus far, together with SCU and Pradet, Ba Futuru has secured resources from AusAID for running another year of this program with 10 student scholarships for registration at SCU. This also includes 4 units of training (each for two weeks) for 25 additional participants from various service provider NGOs and government agencies, but the funds for their registration at SCU are still being sought.