Nisaa Women's Shelter

**1. Counselling Services** NISAA's counselling is provided through three channels: - **Face-to-face counselling** — the primary modality; individual sessions at any of the three offices - **Telephonic counselling** — reaching women who cannot visit in person - **Email counselling** — extending reach to those who need written/asynchronous support All counselling services are provided **free of charge** to women and their children. Additional assistance available through the counselling programme: - **Legal aid referrals** — custody, divorce, maintenance - **Protection order assistance** — counsellors inform clients of DVA procedures, refer to court officials, and prepare clients with negotiation skills and expectations - **Maintenance order assistance** - **Identity document and birth certificate applications** — including navigating Home Affairs requests that other services cannot assist with - **DSD social grant applications** — NISAA works closely with DSD to apply for grants on behalf of clients - **Housing advocacy** — NISAA advocates to the Department of Housing for clients to be prioritised for housing/temporary accommodation **2. Shelter / Crisis Accommodation** NISAA's shelter is a **DSD-subsidised crisis shelter** providing accommodation to abused women and their children for **4–6 weeks** per stay. Capacity: **22 women and their children** at any given time. The shelter accommodates women with girls of all ages and boys up to 12 years old. Shelter programme services include: - Counselling and psychosocial support throughout stay - Information sessions on HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, and domestic violence - Protection order guidance and support - ID, birth registration, and grant application assistance - Life skills programmes: parenting, self-esteem, crisis intervention, healthy cooking, decision-making - Support group - Skills development: sewing, card-making, bead-making projects (income generation toward independence) - Children's programme: counselling, educational outings, activities, school curriculum support, play therapy - Legal referrals: NISAA has working relationships with legal advice organisations and law firms **3. Training** NISAA offers training at a **minimal fee** (not free — but accessible): - **Basic Counselling Course** — 12 sessions over 12 weeks (or condensed over 6 days); foundation counselling skills with GBV and gender focus - **Advanced Counselling Course** — 13 sessions over 14 weeks; builds on basics to include burnout, HIV/AIDS, crisis counselling - **Peer Counselling Course** — for teenagers; 3-day course during school holidays; trains youth to support peers - **Self-Esteem Course** — interactive; 4 weeks; for women and DV survivors; assertiveness and self-belief - **Train the Trainer** — 5 consecutive days; intensive; experiential learning approach; capacity building - **Advocacy and Lobbying Training** — 5-day training in two parts (3-day workshop + 2-day follow-up); designing and implementing advocacy campaigns - **Interface between GBV and HIV/AIDS Training** — 2-day awareness training on the GBV-HIV intersection; for women and communities - **Legislation training** — on laws protecting women's and children's rights - Volunteers who complete Basic and Advanced counselling courses are required to complete 30 volunteer hours; participants are awarded certificates