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UFS counselling psychologist to lead mental health initiatives

06 October 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Kaleidoscope

Tobias van den Bergh, Counselling Psychologist at the University of the Free State, has been appointed as the President of the Southern African Association for Counselling and Development in Higher Education (SAACDHE). The appointment became official at the annual SAACDHE conference, which took place in Pretoria from 12 to 14 September 2022. As such, van den Bergh perceives this appointment as an opportunity: “To be part of a creative process that tackles the challenges faced in higher education and knowing the difficulty that students and my colleagues across the country are struggling with, accepting this appointment felt right.”

The role of SAACDHE

“The organisation represents members of several higher education counselling and career development centres from the SADC region. The organisation’s mission is to promote, guide, and advance best practices in centres at institutions of higher education,” explained Van den Bergh. Through this representation and assistance, members are able to provide quality support to the students they serve. SAACDHE members include mental health professionals, social workers, HIV/AIDS counsellors, researchers, and career development specialists from more than 15 higher education institutions in South Africa and Botswana. Furthermore, Van den Bergh asserts that, “SAACDHE represents its members through lobbying for increased institutional support, the promotion of scholarly, ethical, and best practices, and the training and development of professionals.”

Van den Bergh as President of the organisation

As the newly elected President of the organisation, there are several challenges that Van den Bergh believes require the immediate attention of SAACDHE. For instance, he maintains that student populations and the mental health challenges they face have grown at a substantial rate over the past few decades. However, the staff capacity in counselling and career development centres has not increased commensurately. As such, the challenge in this regard is that the need for mental health interventions continues to grow, but the capacity is not sufficient to deal with those challenges and to fill the gap in public mental health services. To address this challenge, he indicates that “the organisation is striving to innovate counselling centres, and to find ways to work smarter and be preventative where possible”.

In addition, Van den Bergh is adamant about ensuring that the organisation continues to be innovative in the way mental health services are provided to students, and to create practices that are culturally and contextually relevant. However, his long-term vision for the organisation is, “to continue serving as a training, development, and practice-based organisation, so that we can equip members with support and knowledge that will help them to continue helping students in a smarter and better way”.

News Archive

UFS celebrates Kovsie Week

2009-08-21

The University of the Free State (UFS) will be celebrating Kovsie Week from 31 August to 4 September 2009. The week affords friends, colleagues and former colleagues of the UFS the opportunity to enjoy one another’s company and to experience what the university offers.

The programme is as follows:

On Monday, 31 August 2009, a star-gazing programme and lecture entitled “400 Years of Astronomy after Galileo” are presented by Prof. Matie Hoffman at the Boyden Observatory at 17:30 for 18:00. Attendance is free and bus transport will be available from the UFS Main Campus for the first 70 guests that respond. Reserved parking has been arranged with a security guard to look after the cars that are left on the campus.

On Tuesday, 1 September 2009, guests can attend the production by Pieter Venter entitled “Impi” for free in the Wynand Mouton Theatre at 14:30 for 15:00.

On Wednesday, 2 September 2009, an enjoyable morning in the company of Mr Derek de Bruyn from the National Museum is presented at the Centenary Complex of the UFS at 09:30 for 10:00. He will talk about the social life of Bloemfontein during the early 1900s and guests will be entertained by the Boere Orkes of Grey College Primary School under the direction of Santjie Louw. Attendance of this event is free.

On Thursday, 3 September 2009, at 19:00 for 19:30, a candle-light, sherry and soup evening with romantic piano music is presented at the UFS Centenary Complex by Prof. Nicol Viljoen from the UFS’s Department of Music. The programme includes, amongst others, 10 Lieder ohne worte (Felix Mendelssohn), as well as Ballade No. 1 (Fryderyk Chopin). Attendance of this event is also free.

The week will end with the Kovsie-Alumni Award Gala Dinner that will take place in the UFS Centenary Complex on Friday, 4 September 2009, at 18:30 for 19:00.
The cost per person for the dinner is R120. The Kovsie of the Year Award for alumni, the Cum Laude Award, and the Alumni Award for Exceptional Service at the UFS will be awarded at this occasion.

Transport can be arranged to all the functions and parking will be available as close as possible to the venue where the functions take place. Persons interested to attend any of the functions can contact Annanda Calitz at 051 401 3382 or ficka.stg@ufs.ac.za, or Ms Kathy Verwey at 051 401 9343 or verweyke.stg@ufs.ac.za.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
21 August 2009

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