October 19, 2007 :
Workshop : Peer counseling
Training Report - Leadership Development Course 2007
Peer counseling was developed in the independent living movement in the U.S. in the 1970s.
More than 20 years has passed since it was first introduced to Japan. A hundred or more peer counseling courses are organized annually at 121 independent living centers nationwide in Japan.
Ms. Masae Kashiwagi, one of the planning committee members organized a workshop on peer counseling
with support of Ms. Makiko Horiuchi who is also a planning committee member.
During today's peer counseling session only persons with disabilities were allowed to attend the
workshop.
The following is the program.
Schedule : Peer Counseling
| 10:15 |
Introduction
|
|---|---|
| 10:30 |
Relationship (to know each other and to become friends)
|
| 11:00 |
What is a “peer” ? What is peer counseling ? Showing a video about peer counseling |
| 11:45 | Session: Each participant talks about “one's own disability” and practices listening to each other |
| 12:30 | Lunch Break |
| 14:00 | Think & Listen ‘Rights for People with Disabilities’ |
| 14:40 | Session: Each participant tries to be open about hard, sad, or painful memories relating to own disability or matters which one has suffered from. |
| 15:30 | Break |
| 15:45 | Think & Listen: Each participate talks about ‘What I can & what I will’ in order to become positive. |
| 16:15 | Appreciation (compliment to others) |
| 16:30 | Comments and Q & A |
After the session all participants could feel very relax and happy. They all understood they are not alone.
