- Beacon Hill High School has inaugurated a unique counselling room to promote mental health and wellness for its staff and students.
- The project was initiated by former principal Gregory Kannemeyer.
- The new room, now a fully functional and welcoming space, aims to provide a safe environment for students and staff to explore coping mechanisms and receive support, addressing the stigma around counselling.
A first-of-its-kind counselling room established at Beacon Hill High School will go a long way in promoting mental health and wellness for the staff and learners of the school.
On Friday 26 July, the school launched the counselling room which has been years in the making.
School principal Melisha Benjamin says the seed was first planted by a former principal, Gregory Kannemeyer, who wanted a “cry room” established at the school, something that had not materialised.
Getting in touch with the school alumni and calling on donations of the school alumni fraternity started the process of realising this dream.
Benjamin says one of the teachers suggested a back-a-buddy campaign, but funds were slow to come in.
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“There was not much movement with the fundraising and we were at R1 000 for quite some time,” says Benjamin. “We were quoted R200 000, which is not something we could afford.”
With the alumni fraternity very active, former learner and current UCT professor with a PhD in Psycology, Floretta Boonzaier and her husband, Sean Daniels, became involved in realising this dream.
Funded then by another alumni, Mark Jackson, and his wife, Felicia, Daniels matched the contributions to ensure the project was completed.
“Not only did we get the room, but they also beautified the space leading up to the room,” says Benjamin.
Counselling support
Vanessa Cross, a psychologist working for the Western Cape Education Department, says the department has made Beacon Hill a full service school, recognising the potential.
She says this room creates a safe space to help learners and staff better explore the coping mechanisms, feelings and thoughts.
Cross continues that their services are in high demand, with one psycologist assigned to up to 25 schools.
This also sees them in situations where they offer support to learners in dusty store rooms with no ventilation, principals’ offices or even their cars, which is less than ideal.
“There is still a stigma around counselling and we need to break this,” she says.
Safe Space
The prefab room is fully functional and features modern flooring, a comfortable couch and chairs, plants and artwork.
Jackson says after seeing the fundraising stall, he pledged to fund the entire project. Daniels then agreed to meet him halfway, resulting in the completion of the project between them.
“The challenges our children face need to be respected. It needs to be acknowledged. As the kids say today “see me”. Through this project we hope to see them. Especially their pain and anguish, to see their needs,” he says.
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Daniels says being from the area and knowing a number of alumni from the school, he hopes to see this project equip learners to reach new heights.
“I have seen the calibre of people that come from the school and I feel that the current learners are not saddled with the burdens we had at that time. We had a lot less. The school is surrounded by gangsterism, violence and poverty.
