Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative

Areas of Focus

PSS Knowledge Development

Psychosocial Support (PSS) knowledge is generated through programme research and informs advocacy and programme delivery.

• Conducting qualitative and quantitative research on issues affecting the psychosocial and mental wellbeing of girls and boys, and supporting African practitioners to develop expertise in these areas
• Incubating promising practices to promote psychosocial support in identified emerging priority areas, such as sexual and reproductive health; migration; social and child protection; livelihoods and social workforce
• Fostering learning between partners and across countries to encourage innovation
• Documenting practice-based evidence from partner initiatives
• Developing and reviewing resources in accordance with rigorous internal standards
• Sequencing and packaging resources for the social services health and education sectors
• Translating prioritized resources into Portuguese and Swahili to enable greater access

PSS Capacity Building

Capacity of government and non-government partners to implement specific programmes increased, based on the context of each country. Psychosocial Support (PSS) mainstreaming is a deliberate prioritization of psychosocial care and support throughout an organization’s courses of action. These include planned policies, programmes, and service delivery modalities as it pertains to implementation and access by the target group.

The REPSSI Mainstreaming Model is a fundamental tool for strengthening psychosocial and mental wellbeing for girls, boys, youth, and families within East and Southern Africa.

With this model, REPSSI has achieved significant success harnessing regional and national political commitment, which resulted in changes in national policies, the development of policy frameworks and tools and extensive investment in PSS training for the social services workforce.

Leveraging on its practice successes and new knowledge, REPSSI will maintain the gains made in the previous 10 years and intensify its focus on the Implementation and Community, Family, Children, Youth spheres of its mainstreaming model.

What Does REPSSI Do To Help

REPSSI's assistance includes providing easy-to-use and culturally appropriate tools and sharing innovative approaches. We train partners to provide social and emotional services to children and their communities, and we produce activities and tools that can be used with children, youth, communities, and families.

Evidence Based Advocacy

Psychosocial support is integrated into social services, health and education programmes and services and reaches approximately two million children and young people annually

• Identifying gaps in OVCY policy and practice and implementing a plan to address such gaps
• Engaging with SADC/EAC/ACERWC to include psychosocial support in children, youth and HIV plans, and M&E frameworks
• Generating, documenting and sharing an economic case for psychosocial and wellbeing through local, national and regional platforms, including media.
• Strengthening partnerships for social behavior change communication for improved psychosocial and mental wellbeing
• REPSSI Thought Leader Group contributes to the Lancet Commission Report on the state of psycho-wellbeing and mental health in Africa and to psychosocial support publications, making the case for psychosocial support as a critical enabler for sustainable development.

APSSI Establishment

Establishment of Africa Psychosocial Support Institute (APSSI).Accrediting and maintaining accreditation of REPSSI and its skills development programmes with relevant national and international authorities.