Training Manual for Psycho-Social Support

festa-mamma-albero-della-vita1The Institute of Youth Studies (IYS) has networked with an Italian NGO (Fondazione L’Albero della Vita – FADV) in order to develop a training manual for use in the 26 Kenyan government run statutory children institutions. The training will target over 120 staff who are employed in the juvenile remand and rehabilitation institutions, so as to build staff capacity in offering psycho-social support to their wards.

FADV approached IYS to carry out a needs assessment in collaboration with the University of Padova, and to develop the training manual.  The NGO has offered a sum of Ksh.250,000 to IYS for this consultancy service.

The trainings will be also carried out by IYS, funded by CEFA – another Italian NGO that works with the Kenya government in the Children Services.

I have the been key person in […]

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Character Strengths in Africa 1 (Towards an African List of CS)

CS Research 2 webIn Africa, in the wake of HIV/AIDS, much of youth training focused on life-skills. With the number of new infections stabilising and the frequency of HIV prevention training reduced, life skills feature less in the discourse of youth formation today. On the other hand, globally, youth trainings increasingly focus on character development (CD). In Africa, however, character strengths remain largely unexplored.  Character Strengths (CS) are virtue-like habits and attitudes that influence individuals’ behaviour in such a way that their wellbeing and that of the society are enhanced.  Psychologists Seligman and Peterson have suggested a list of 24 CS that are said to be ubiquitous across cultures and religious traditions.
The present study is part of a larger project, “Character Scaffolding – Kenya and Tanzania”, that aims: (1) to develop a theoretical […]

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Psychology of Conversion of Youth & Call to Religious Life

I made a presentation at the 4th Theological Symposium held at Don Bosco Utume on 30th March 2015.  The two-day symposium has as its theme: Consecrated Life and the Life of Youth.  The annual symposium this year commemorates the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco – the Founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco, hence the focus on youth.  It is also a contribution to the Year of Consecrated (Religious) Life.
My presentation brought together three elements: youth, conversion, and religious life.
Using emerging data from psychology of religious conversion of youth, the first part of the paper states some underlying patterns in conversion. The second part applies those patterns in understanding the dynamics of spirituality youth who join religious life.  Attachment Theory is much used in the analysis.  Implication of secure attachment and avoidant attachment on gradual and sudden conversion, and their possible impact on religious life is discussed.
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Youth Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

DSC_0008_4Youth Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities
 My presentation on 9 March 2015, at a joint teleconference between Institute of Youth Studies at Tangaza University College, Kenya and the Institute of Family Studies at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland.
The purpose of the paper was to provoke some discussion among the students of both the institutions.
Preliminary Remarks
0.1. It could come as a surprise to some of my listeners that the speaker this afternoon is not an African.  This is the advantage that scientific method offers us.  A person from anywhere could scientifically look at a global or local phenomenon anywhere using the methodology of science.  This said, having lived in two countries in the African continent for the past 23 years, and having travelled across the continent visiting at least 10 other countries, […]

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