Exploring the Psychosocial Needs and Supports to First Year Students at Addis Ababa University
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2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The general objective of this study was to identify the psychosocial needs and supports offered to First Year Students (FYSs) by AAU. FYSs were the unit of analysis for the study. Exploratory research design was employed and the data was gathered from selected FYSs, Ministry of Education, PSS providers at AAU. The findings of the study show that FYSs face many challenges include difficulties living with many students in dormitories, financial problems, fear of being dismissed, lack of sleep and environment inaccessibility for SWDs and need the attentions of concerned stakeholders. In the study it was found that emotional and academic problems were identified as number one psychosocial challenges of FYSs. In the study it was found that Students with Disabilities (SWDs). The major PSS providers in the university believe that there should be a responsible coordination unit that would play a role of creating strong partnership, collaboration and referral linkages among actors. As the number of students has been increasing each year at the Sidist Kilo Campus, the university needs to strengthen the existing psychosocial support providers as well as start new ones to ensure students are getting the necessary psychosocial supports which are important to continue education. AAU also need to mobilize its assets and resources found in the campus such as the skills and knowledge of students, academic staff, students’ union, students’ associations and clubs so that they could give improved psychosocial supports such as tutorial, mentoring, assisting students with disabilities, fund raising, organize various trainings and so on. Currently, there are few psychosocial initiatives by different stakeholders in the campus. However, their capacities to reach all the needy students are limited. Psychosocial providers also need to advocate for new policy formulation and designing strategies so that the students could get the standardized supports and attend education without being stressed by the challenges mentioned above
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Social Work