People Count is an ongoing service within the PCAA which is devoted to supporting the psychological well-being and health of members of the PCAA, their families and communities. It was created and developed in 2020 as a response to the need for psychological support during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The original organizing committee members in 2020 were Carly Downs (Y2), Andreas Eberstein (Y2), Rolando Ramirez (Y11), Rossanna Gabriela Moreira (Y11) and Rosemary Feltham (Y1).
During the 2020-21 year, the first project we implemented Pulling together to Cope with Covid, a 12-session program for psycho-education, discussion of psycho-social issues and provision of emotional support in response to the challenges faced during the pandemic.
During the 2021-22 year, in response to a request by a PC alumni who is a school teacher, we ran Teachers Supporting Teachers, a 6-session program for teachers to discuss issues around supporting students who are struggling with psychological problems. Discussions revolved around the role and capacity of teachers to support students and to take care of themselves at the same time.
During the 2022-23 year, in response to a request by an already formed group of alumni, we are facilitating discussions around the topic of Relationships, particularly in the context of past trauma. In this initiative, the group is an autonomous unit which had formed and started to meet independently of us and subsequently requested our help. Our participation in several meetings has been to offer support around the experiences shared, and to enrich discussions by providing relevant written and video material.
Other short-term interventions by People Count have included: (1) short-term support of an alumna who was supporting her own friend during a period of acute psychological distress, and (2) problem-solving with two alumni for finding funds to provide psychological support and counselling during their PC reunion.
Currently, Rossanna Gabriela and Rosemary are the two active People Count project coordinators. Since we are still working in our own professions and People Count is a volunteer activity, we don’t have the time to take the lead in the design, development and day-to-day running of projects. We are, however, available to : (1) respond to requests for information, resources or support regarding specific topics related to psychological well-being, (2) assist in the development of psychological health projects that other alumni would like to design, organize and run, and/or (3) participate in some sessions of an ongoing group to share knowledge and provide additional online or bibliographic resources.
If you are interested in taking the initiative to design and lead a discussion or support group, or to organize any other project related to psychological health and well-being, and would like assistance as described above, you are welcome to contact us through your Year Rep, the PCAA Council, or find us on PC Connect.
