NPO opens counselling room at Kraaifontein school

A non-profit organisation has opened a counselling room at Bernadino High School, in Scottsdene, to help pupils battling depression and anxiety.

Established in 2008, Community Keepers has established counselling rooms at more than 30 primary and high schools in marginalised communities across Cape Town and the Cape Winelands.

In the northern suburbs, the organisation already has a presence at Alpha Primary in Durbanville and Trevor Manuel Primary in Fisantekraal.

“We are seeing rising levels of anxiety, depression and suicidality, in both primary and high school learners. Young people are faced with challenging circumstances as a result of poverty, compounded by the pandemic, lockdown, exposure to violence, loss and grief,” Community Keepers CEO Gerrit Laning told Northern News.

“Many young people are living in a state of fight, flight or freeze and are left untreated. This trauma could result in a downward spiral of hopelessness where learners could start to disengage and risk dropping out of school.”

Bernadino High School principal Deon Wertheim said they had noticed a sharp increase in the number of pupils experiencing panic and anxiety attacks, and the number of cases where pupils were self-mutilating and showing signs of depression and suicidal tendencies had escalated to an “alarming degree”.

However, he added that the pupils had also welcomed the support offered by Community Keepers and many had shown an improvement in their mental health and their ability to cope with stress.

He said the organisation was due to hold a workshop with teachers this week.