South Otago student counselling scheme faces funding challenge 

Hearing You, a mobile counselling service for school children aged 5 to 13 in the area, is supported through the Kahui Ako programme that will be discontinued at the end of this year. Instead, the Government is reallocating $680 million towards learning support initiatives nationwide.

Eleven schools in the Clutha district currently receive a half-day to a full day of counselling per fortnight. But stakeholders say this is far from sufficient, given the demand. Some students face complex issues such as anxiety, social challenges, family trauma and even self-harm.

Clutha businesses, organisations and other individuals have stepped up to help provide resources for Hearing You, from vehicles to sponsorship. But from next January, there will be a shortfall. Schools and supporters are already working to secure future funding for counsellors’ wages, fuel, insurance and other costs.

Counsellors are presently sourced through Catholic Social Services in Dunedin, which also provides the necessary supervision and training.

Being able to access a counsellor at a school rather than having to travel some distance to do so is very helpful, said Balclutha Primary School principal Vicki Neave.

“Hearing You really does work, and it improves school attendance levels because students are coming to school to see the counsellor, and just knowing they have someone coming they can safely talk to is enough to keep some of them hanging in there,” Ms Neave said.

Work is underway to create a sustainable future model of the service.

FULL STORY

Funding for counselling faces crisis (By Nick Brook/Otago Daily Times)