August 22, 2023
Supporting mental health on the front line of climate change
Through our small grant program, AVI supported Empower Pacific to provide training for counsellors to increase their capacity to offer mental health support for survivors of natural disaster.
Empower Pacific is a holistic health and social development service provider which offers free and confidential support to the people of Fiji and the Pacific. In addition to running a 24 hour counselling helpline and face to face services in hospitals and counselling centres, Empower Pacific’s network of counsellors are also mobilised to respond to natural disasters throughout the country.
Through our small grant program, AVI supported Empower Pacific to provide training for 18 counsellors in Disaster Mental Health Counselling and Working with Trauma – Interventions that Foster Resilience. These Credential Courses were run through the Mental Health Academy of Australia
The training has strengthened the capacity of the organisation and counsellors to effectively support individuals, families and communities suffering from mental health distress and trauma post-disaster. Their knowledge of mental health and trauma has expanded and Empower Pacific’s utilisation of the grant has increased availabilities and accessibility of tools and resources to effectively meet the specific needs of clients suffering from short- and long-term effects of trauma and mental health distress.
Empower Pacific seeks to enhance the full potential of communities by working in partnership with government and other community agencies to ensure a holistic model of professional health service.
