This project was launched at the beginning of 2024. It builds on baseline research that found that Life Orientation (LO) teachers often function as mental, sexual and reproductive health frontline workers but without the necessary support and training (Macleod & Du Plessis, 2024). This participatory action research involves a partnership between LO teachers in Makhanda, staff and students from the CSSR, and other staff at Rhodes University. Together we have established a working group to guide the project.

We have agreed that the priorities to work on are in-service training for LO teachers and advocacy to improve the status of LO. To date, the following has been achieved:

• Participatory design, implementation and completion of a Rhodes accredited short course (5 x 3.5 hour workshops) for LO and support team teachers in basic lay counselling skills and mandatory reporting of abuse. This course was heavily oversubscribed, indicating the great need and interest in such training.
• News story in The Grocott’s about the project (https://www.facebook.com/grocotts?mibextid=ZbWKwL)
• Participatory design and use of logo
• Distribution of a poster for classrooms on myths and facts about comprehensive sexuality education.

Going forwards, we plan the following:

• To run another iteration of the short course in basic counselling skills and mandatory reporting of abuse
• To design, implement and complete a Rhodes accredited short course in sensitive CSE (comprehensive sexuality education) pedagogy
• Further advocacy efforts.

People involved:

Dr Nicola Jearey Graham (Principal Investigator)

Sam Carolus (PhD student)

Hazel Simpo (PhD student)

Last Modified: Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:11:42 SAST