Palliative care provides a holistic approach in the care of people with life-threatening illnesses or any serious health-related suffering in a multidisciplinary manner. The physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and their families are addressed. These developments are against the background of increasing recognition of the opportunities for improving quality of health care and strengthening efforts for universal health coverage through palliative care as well as the challenges of unmet needs. The Palliative Care certificate will provide participants with a foundation on which to confidently engage in the care of patients with life-threatening illnesses and provide them the quality of life they deserve. The course targets everyone engaged in patient care (doctors, nurses, social workers, religious leaders, etc.) The mode of learning is designed to cater for busy working professionals who can study in addition to other commitments.

This course consists of two modules:

1) Introduction to Counselling

2) Theories of Counselling

Students will receive an overview of the aims and objectives of counselling in diverse contexts. Particular attention will be given to counselling in schools. In addition, students will be introduced to various approaches to counselling. A historical approach to the development of counselling theories will be followed by an overview of the main counselling theories. The course targets early childhood, primary and secondary school teachers; parents, and care givers who work with children.

Working in the Jesuit tradition and drawing from African and other eco-spiritualities, the course will encourage students to gain scientific knowledge about the natural environment, appreciating the beauty of the natural world as well as the damage that human activities have contributed to its “woundedness”. The course will challenge students to develop ethical and spiritual awareness that will help them consider major moral questions around the environment and to critically analyse personal lifestyles, human cultures and practices as well as public policies that affect the environment. Of particular interest will be an assessment of the interaction between the environment and the dominant models of the economy with their emphasis on growth, production consumption, efficiency and rationalisation.

This course is essential to anyone who works with children and vulnerable adults in an education institution. It raises awareness of abuse, neglect and other harms that are experienced by children and vulnerable adults in some cases. Child protection is of paramount importance to all students as it critically examines a range of contemporary social practices and the need for policymaking focusing on the rights of children and vulnerable adults. In the duration of this course, we will look into practices that affect the lives of children and vulnerable adults, caregivers, other family members, community and many others. This  will provide a firm foundation on child protection and empowers students to break the silence that encourages abuse and harm to children. The course’s emphasis is evidence-based on child abuse and harm.