Peer counseling : the end of analysis and the beginning of ecology

• Main Author: Coetzee, Careen June
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Peer counseling of students > Research > South Africa; Counseling in secondary education > Research > South Africa
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/6173

M.A. === A Peer Counseling Program was implemented at a High school in Pretoria. The program was run over a thirteen-month period. During this period two groups of peer counselors were trained. In the first year 15 pupils were selected, and in the second year 16 pupils were selected. Both of the groups were put throUgh the following: answering of a questionnaire, a personal interview, and the training process. Ongoing supervision was provided in the form of group discussions and individual supervision over this thirteen-month period. On completion of the thirteen-month program eqch peer counselor completed a Peer Facilitators Effectiveness Inventory Questionnaire. The findings of this questionnaire indicated that both of the groups had found this experience to be positive, although the second group found the experience to be more positive. The reasons for this were that the second group were selected earlier in the year, they received more support and one might speculate the: there had been a culture of helping established in the school. This study has shown that peer counseling is an effective means of making use of the resources available in the community, decreasing the size of the gap between adult counselor and adolescent, as well as reaching a wider population where help is needed. This study creates an opportunity for the implementation of peer counseling programs in more schools in South Africa.