Conducting a Participatory Situation Analysis of.pdf - Global HIV ...

Appendix B: Criteria Used To Select Psychosocial Support Persons
Criteria Used to Select Psychosocial
Support Persons
(Family Health International/Zambia and the SCOPE
Project)
Psychosocial support persons (PSSPs) who accompany
survey interviewers and focus group discussion moderators
must have certain characteristics and capabilities.
Following are guidelines to consider when selecting
PSSPs.
Potential PSSPs should have the following characteristics:
• Comfortable relating to and interacting with children
• Committed to respecting and observing children’s
rights
• Have the welfare of children at heart
• Ability to speak English and the local language
• Ability to talk to children in simple and age-appropriate
language
• Open-minded; that is, willing to reflect on one’s own
beliefs, attitudes, and approach to life and willing to
modify them when necessary for one’s growth
• Perceptive of children’s experiences
• Able and willing to develop self-awareness
• Ability to challenge harmful traditional approaches
to children
• Have a minimum grade 12 education
• Have experience with psychosocial counseling and/or
have worked with children, especially orphans and
vulnerable children (e.g., Sunday school teacher,
leader of youth group in a church, school teacher)
Potential PSSPs should be able to answer the following
questions readily and explain their answers:
• How did you develop an interest in helping children?
• What is the situation of orphans in your neighborhood?
• Can you explain what the word “psychosocial”
means?
• What is your current job/activity?
• Are you involved in any groups or activities in your
country? If yes, which ones? (If the person is unemployed,
is he or she involved in volunteer activities?)
• What are your strengths as a helper? What are your
strengths in working with children?
• What difficulties do you foresee either in your own
personality (make-up/nature) or in your circumstances
if you start working with orphans?
• Can you give examples where you have helped either
your own child/sibling or another child who has had
a problem, other than financial or material help?
• Can your give one example where you found it
difficult to help a child?
• Do you know anything about children’s rights?
• Do you have experience with orphans, either in your
family or in another situation? Explain briefly.
• If a child comes to you crying, what would you do?
Conducting a Participatory Situation Analysis of
Orphans and Vulnerable Children Affected by HIV/AIDS
107