Cafs facilitates workshops and training programmes covering a wide range of topics in the field of mental health to educate, build skills and empower different groups of people including those of the education sector, healthcare sector, parents and members of the general public.
Workshops for the general public
We conduct workshops surrounding mental health and related conditions such as personality disorders, developmental disorders such as Autism, Psychological First Aid and research related topics as well.
Learn With CAFS series
This educational series of workshops aims to educate the public and increase knowledge in mental health and the field of psychology, covering a variety of topics such as gender and sexuality, culture and ethics in the counselling profession, gatekeeper training, psychological first aid, statistics, thesis and academic writing etc.
2020: Workshop on Specific Learning Disorder
2020: Workshops on “Memory and Intelligence” and “Personality Testing and HR Recruitment”
Workshops for parents and teachers
Workshops on topics such as emotional wellbeing and resilience, understanding behaviors in the classroom, pre- and postnatal depression, stress and burnout have been conducted by CAFS.
2018: Workshop for teachers of KOPS Preschool
2018: “Dear Mom” workshop focusing on pre- and postnatal depression
2017: Workshops for parents of the children at the Malgolla Primary School and the Guiding Steps International Montessori
2017: Workshop on Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience for teachers
Workshops for students
2018: Workshop for students of grades 9-11 at a school in Sandalankawa, Dankotuwa on communication, problem solving, stress and exploring their creativity
2018: “Untie the Human Knot” activity at MAS, Thulhiriya to promote team building for student leaders from a number of different schools
2018: Workshop for the students at Wycherly International School on the importance of mental wellbeing, and awareness of suicide prevention
Workshops for counsellors
We have worked with our fellow professionals and organisations in the mental health field from the NIMH, Sumithrayo, Women In Need and SLV Global.
Creative therapy training and supervision workshops for volunteers of SLV Global, Sri Lanka, an organisation that provides opportunities for students and professionals in the field of mental health to work with impoverished communities.
2018: Workshop at Sumithrayo surrounding caregiver stress and overload
2017: Role playing at a workshop for the volunteers of Sumithrayo on awareness and basic skills to help prevent suicide
2017: Our psychologists training the counselors at Women In Need on suicide, awareness of self harm, and prevention
We have conducted workshops on neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as child-parent related topics such as taking care of children’s mental health during the lockdown by collaborating with psychiatrists from the NHS in the UK, HappyMindsSL, oDoc, Everystory Sri Lanka, Baby Cheramy and Samaposha. Additionally, we have also collaborated with Hiru TV and Shakthi TV, two popular media entities in Sri Lanka!
Scribbles – Creative arts based workshop series for kids with and without special needs
One of our oldest running workshop series since its inception in December 2016, ‘Scribbles’ is a novel series of workshops designed using creative methods as a form of expressing psychological and emotional needs focusing on both children and parents with and without special needs, aiming to bridge the gap in communicating and expressing oneself.
Scribbles runs on the extremely generous contributions and support of Leo Wicks and B&B Health Grant Scheme. Money obtained through some of the events are used as a revolving fund so that other events can be carried out free-of-charge for communities that cannot afford them.
Colombo
The CAFS team visits Asha Community Center almost every month to carry out Scribbles workshops for the children.
2017: Full day of art therapy based activities at Guiding Steps Montessori
2016 & 2017: We visited Nelung Arts Center several times over the years to carry out Scribbles workshops for the children
Outreach
2018: A fun day of activities, art, and a puppet show put on specially for the children at the Centre for Education of the Hearing Impaired Children (CEHIC) in Kelaniya for Children’s Day
2017: The team visited a school in Dolosbage, Gampola to carry out a Scribbles workshop
2017: A two day specially designed Scribbles workshop at VAROD (Vanni Rehabilitation Organization for the Differently Abled) in Vavuniya was carried out for the children and their caregivers.
Apart from the various Scribbles workshops pictured above, we also carry out special edition workshops such as one we carried out at the Cancer Hospital in Maharagama.