Christian Counselling Centre

(Registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860)

Future Plans and Needs

After 30 years of useful, productive and exciting existence, the Centre stands at cross roads. Changing circumstances, new opportunities, paradigm shifts in expectations demand a re-visioning of the strategies and operational methods in achieving our goals without in any way compromising the original mandate of the founders. CCC has launched on an elaborate process of mutual consultation and discussion with the members of the Governing Board, well wishers, professionals and alumni. As an outcome of such discussion, CCC has identified several components as its future plans and projects.

 1.                  Distance Education Programmes:

The first component of re-visioning of the Centre’s programmes is the possibility of redesigning some of the offerings of the Centre which can be offered through distance education. It is hoped that this will enable a larger number of persons to be benefited by the unique training of the Centre, who, hitherto have been unable to utilize the training because of their inability to be full time residential students. However, we are conscious that the uniqueness of the training offered at the Centre is very much related to the face to face interaction with the staff as well as experiential learning methods, which cannot be sacrificed. Therefore, only the theoretical content and that too of selected courses may be offered through correspondence with compulsory contact classes for group sessions, skills practice sessions, opportunities for personal growth and personal supervision. This involves extensive preparation of study material including audio-visual material. It is estimated that CCC will need about Rs 300,000 to launch this programme.

 2.     Re-visioning of External Training Programme:

The second component of re-visioning process is the reorganisation of our external training programmes. Our Centre has been conducting training programmes for organisations at different places outside Vellore at the request of the Organisations in their premises. It is now proposed to explore the possibility of setting up subsidiary Centres at important places from where training can be organised for interested persons. Competent staff, locally resident in the area can be hired and trained to support the programmes, who can also spend part of their time at Vellore, participating in the residential programmes. This will enable the Centre to recruit and develop Staff who are really competent and interested but how are otherwise unable to commit themselves to be resident Staff at Vellore. As of now, Bangalore has been identified as a place where this programme can be started and the responses from friends and alumni of the Centre at Bangalore have been encouraging. This component calls for initial investment in creating minimum infrastructure at Bangalore and hiring of a public relations person who can effectively look after the liaison work with different Organisations. This project will entail some initial expenditure of start-up cost, which will include setting up minimum Office space with communication facilities, and the cost of working expenses for the public relations staff. The budget for the first year is approximately Rs.300, 000.

3.         Staff Development:

The third component is the in the area of Staff development which is an important concern for any Organisation. The Christian Counselling Centre has maintained a policy of insisting upon prospective staff to be trained in the area of supervision at the Centre itself because we believe that the training of counsellors very much depends on effective supervision, which is both an art and a science and has been fine tuned at the Centre. For this purpose all prospective staff are asked to go through the one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Counselling of the Centre and they have the option of taking the two-year P.G. course in Psychological Counsellor Education. In this context, the Centre proposes to introduce the system of resident internship at the Centre who will undergo the training but will make a relatively shorter period of commitment to work for the Centre coupled with employing locally resident Staff who will work for the Centre at places like Bangalore. The Centre will need about Rs.600, 000 during the next three years to recruit and train about 5 competent staff.

4.            Training of Trauma Response Teams

The earthquake that hit Gujarat on 26^th January, 2001 was one of the worst disasters of this century. It resulted in huge loss of lives and property, affecting 16.9 million population. It elicited immediate response nationally and globally. The rehabilitation and reconstruction work which is going on consists of rebuilding of houses, hospitals, schools, restoration of water and sanitary facilities, comprehensive packages of assistance for reviving agricultural and industrial sectors.

However, it is now recognized that the rehabilitation of the affected population has to be undertaken in a holistic manner, helping the affected persons not only with physical and material resources but also with necessary psychological resources to cope with the trauma caused by the disaster. Individuals who have experienced a traumatic event often suffer psychological stress related to the incident. In many cases the effects are of longer duration and the long-term effects of traumatic events with special reference to natural disasters are being studied. The study of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is becoming increasingly important. In this connection it may be noted that apart from natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, man made disasters also periodically affect a large number of persons all over the world. In addition, the fairly recent phenomenon of national and international Terrorism claims a large number of innocent victims. These victims of bombings, hostage situations also experience enormous trauma.

Hence, the whole quality of life of the affected people has to be rebuilt by appropriate interventions by qualified mental health professionals with skills in trauma counselling. It appears that in the present rehabilitation work undertaken for victims of such disasters, psychological assessment and interventions have a low priority.  

Therefore, as a result of a personal explorative visit to Gujarat by Dr. Prashantham who received a positive feedback from leading NGOs involved in relief work regarding the need of a systematic study and plan of action, it is proposed to take up the project of training Trauma Counselling who can proactively respond to disaster situations. The project will involve random sample surveys in selected parts of affected areas, providing suitable counselling interventions through a community-based model, which can be replicated elsewhere with necessary changes. This very important project requires really a substantial budget, which could be around Rs.5,000,000 to train at least 5 teams of 20 each in critical regions.

5.                  Upgrading the Library facilities and setting up a Documentation Centre

Since the Library of an Educational Institution is a very important component of the teaching – learning process, next only to a committed and competent faculty, the Centre, inspite of limited resources, has slowly built up the library facilities over the years. The Library has about 5000 volumes, magazines and journals on a wide variety of subjects and issues. However, there is a definite need for augmenting the resources to make the Library much more useful. Moreover, the proposed projects of Distance Learning and re-organisation of external programme will make more demands on the library and the services provided there. Hence the fifth component of the revisioning is substantial addition of books, subscription to more research journals and appointment of more staff and setting up a Documentation and Information Service.                    

The proposed Documentation and Information Service will enhance the effectiveness of the use of the existing resources in the Library and also create additional teaching- learning resources. Infrastructure needed will include Photocopier, Computer with Internet access and also software for computerising the entire library and for providing on-line services. The library will have to be manned by competent persons knowledgeable in the use of the Computers in Library and Information Science. The estimate budget is Rs.1,000,000.

6.                  Multi – media facility:

  The sixth component is the development of a multi-media facility at the Centre or at the proposed annexe. This facility will enhance the effectiveness of the teaching-learning process both for the residential programmes and for the distance education programmes. Producing audio / video cassettes and CD-ROMs will require specially designed studio with high quality digital equipment. The initial expenditure will be very sizable but once set up, the unit will transform the entire educational process into a highly sophisticated venture. Professional help both in maintaining and using the equipment will have to be obtained. The cost of a Two Camera System with all accessories will cost at least Rs.5, 000,000. 

7.                  Research Linkage:

The seventh component is the consolidation and integration of the research linkage that Dr.Prashantham has developed during his recent deputation leave with the Seattle Pacific University. An impetus to this area was given at the International Consultation held during December 1999 which was attended by Professor Dr. Nathan Brown – Department of Graduate Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, USA. Already the enormous amount of research data collected by our Research assistant under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Prashantham have begun to yield significant results. We are extremely encouraged by the very positive feed back received from a team consisting of a Professor and 5 Students from SPU who visited CCC during 2003. They reported gaining very useful insights and experience, which was also recognized for academic credit at SPU. Participation of the visiting Professors in some of the teaching activities at the Centre will add an international flavour to the courses offered here etc. The initial phase of 4 years of Research is over and we are evaluating the experience and exploring other collaboration possibilities also besides awaiting a MOU from SPU for possible further work.

 Budget for 3 years to consolidate the programme is Rs.1, 000, 000.

 8.                  Self Reliance:

The final and the eighth component is our quest for Self Reliance by which we mean our financial ability to support a core group of staff and a reasonable number of residential and external programme through tuition fees, interest from Endowment and local contributions. We have come a long way in this direction. However part of re-visioning is to widen our sources of income. In fact, it is expected that once the initial cost of each of the five components describing above is taken care of, they will contribute to an increase in receipts. In addition, the Centre proposes to develop a small but valuable piece of property located in a strategic place at Vellore by putting up a three-storied building with car parking facilities. This facility can house many of the activities arising out of our re-visioning, while the facility can be made available to others on the payment of service charges. Cost of a three storey building with other facilities is Rs.3, 500,000.

9.            Chapel:

A need for a place within the campus for worship, meditation etc, is increasingly felt. As a Christian Counselling Centre we are always conscious of the fact our motivation and basic philosophy of providing care to those who are in need of the same is undergirded by our Christian faith. A small chapel will be a visible symbol of the Christian ethos of the Centre and its activities.  Budget: 500,000.

Summary of the Financial inputs needed by the CCC for its future Programmes.

Director

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