The REPSSI Zambia Social Business Development (SBD)Programme was established in 2014 to lead in the provision of Academic studies, Research and Consultancy Services on mental health, psychosocial support and related. To this effect, the Social Business Unit was established and the organisation was also registered under the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Authority (TEVETA) to deliver accredited training programmes. The organisation has formal relationships with universities and other training institutions for the purposes of delivering of degree programmes as well as facilitating wider reach through training programmes.
Essence
REPSSI Zambia’s Social Business Unit is essential a Mental Health, Psychosocial Support and Protection (MHPPSP) Centre of Excellence specialized in Training, Research and Consultancy Services.
The unit’s goal is to provide affordable high-quality trainings, undertake cutting edge research and lead in mental health, psychosocial support and protection consultancy services that contribute to strengthening the capacities of the social services workforce, growth in knowledge mental health, psychosocial support and promoting uptake and rollout of interventions that promote mental health, psychosocial support and protection.
services
REPSSI Zambia’s Social Business Unit’s main focus and revenue streams are training, research and consultancy services. Our training services portfolio include short courses, diploma and bachelors’ qualifications offered to enhance the competency and capacity of the social services workforce (students and other participants). Through research, the Unit seeks to lead in the generation of knowledge on mental health, psychosocial support and protect that inform policy, programming and practice in Zambia and the region. Consultancy services are used to facilitate institutional capacity to ensure effective uptake and rollout of MHPSSP. The Unit will therefore generate revenues through fees, scholarships, grants, sales of products and services. REPSSI Zambia will also generate additional revenue from sales of merchandise and sponsorships.
Training Programmes
Currently, REPSSI has four academic programmes in place, namely community-based work with children and youths (CBWCY), Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH), and diploma in Psychosocial Support for Early Childhood Development (ECD), and Teachers diploma in psychosocial. care Support and Protection. These programmes are carefully designed to provide professional qualifications to various people in the social services workforce so as to enable vulnerable populations to receive quality care and support.
The SBD Unit is desirous of investing in cutting edge technology and recruitment of well qualified and experienced teaching staff to effectively deliver trainings through blended residential, distance and Online approaches. The Unit also seeks to invest in procuring and setting up a training Centre equipped to deliver a mix of training, research and consultancy services.
Competitive Advantage
While there has been a surge in organizations providing mental health, psychosocial support and protection service, REPSSI boasts of being a pioneer in the field, the only know training institutions delivering accredited training courses in MHPSSP. REPSSI is appropriately registered, accredited and has strategic partnerships with government and non-governmental organizations. At part of the regional organisation, REPSSI Zambia has access to focused support from the Africa Psychosocial Institute (APSSI) in ensuring development and delivery of quality services that meet international standards as well as timeous and quality delivery of training, research and consultancy services. The SBD Unit has invested heavily in eLearning, enabling it to deliver trainings without limitations.