Peace Centre: Future Developments and Role with GAP

Peace Centre gate

My internship at the Peace (People’s Education Awareness and Counselling for Empowerment) Centre has so far been a thought-provoking experience. It has been filled with questions and new perspectives that have helped broaden my understanding of gender issues and Namibian culture. I have started building valuable and life-giving relationships with my colleagues and have had countless conversations with my supervisor, Dr Hetty Rose-Julius. The focus of my internship will be working on the Gender Awareness Program (GAP) with my co-supervisor, Pedro. The purpose of this program is to provide students (11^th and 12^th graders) with an understanding of gender as a social construct and its effects on Namibian society. It is about empowering both men and women and helping to break dangerous stereotypes and myths related to gender and violence. I will talk further about this program and my future objectives as part of the internship.

In this program I will help facilitate learning with Pedro. My aim is to assist in creating a paradigm shift in student’s perspectives of gender. The effectiveness of the program will be tested through pre-test and post-test surveys. At the start and end of the four session program, we give out a long questionnaire assessing student’s understandings of gender, particularly in relation to various common but dangerous myths held In Namibian society. This will give us an idea where classmates are coming from, so we can be more effective in our teaching methods.

Peace Centre model helicopter

My role in the organization is primarily a facilitator of learning. As the GAP is in its early stages, I am expected to study the program and come up with suggestions to improve its overall effectiveness. This will be achieved through my independent project, but also by questioning and assessing the lesson plans and methods of instruction. Through this process I can help improve the methods at Peace Centre and look at the most effective ways of teaching gender awareness in the classroom setting. My largest concern with this program is being able to help cause a shift in students thinking. I understand that I won’t be able to change all views, and there is only so much a facilitator can do. The rest is up to the individual. I can achieve success by providing insight into the dangers of various mentalities and giving students a larger understanding of gender and power. If we don’t see the correct changes demonstrated through the statistics, we will have to revise our teaching methods and tools. In this way we can prepare ourselves for a more effective program. If we determine that the program is flawed, it will be taken into account when writing my report. It can then be determined whether the program should be continued into the future.

Pedro's desk (often where I sit to answer calls)

To strive for success, entails engagement both with the program and in the work place which will bring about a positive learning experience. It will require me to be open to the needs and strengths of colleagues and act on this understanding. It will require me to be an active listener who uses both ears and eyes to give full attention to the words of the speaker. It will require me to be willing to make necessary changes in my perceptions and actions. It necessitates engagement and a sense of vigor that tries to seek out what is different, in a process of learning and growth. I believe the Peace Centre can provide me with the opportunity to learn and grown in new and exciting ways. I am excited by my future endeavors and realize they need to be achieved through a connection with the people. Only through this understanding will I be striving for a learning experience which is both positive and beneficial to my future development.