SAWO started a play therapy program in 2008 with the financial support of Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific Contributions Fund. The objective of this program is to establish a play therapy program in Sabah for abused children. The main components of this program include the setting up of play therapy units to be used for conducting play therapy sessions and the training of personnel that can conduct these sessions.

An in-house play therapy room which is well equipped with various tool kits was completed by the end of 2008 and play therapy sessions are conducted regularly by Ms Irene Yee. She is a Certified Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills and is currently working towards a postgraduate diploma in play therapy offered by the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC).

In order to reach out more to children who really need play therapy, we also plan to assist other organisations or institutions to set up their own in-house play therapy program.

In the first half of 2009, a 4-part 8-days training was conducted to introduce play therapy for over 20 care-givers, teachers and those who work with children with the aim of building a small pool of practitioners who can help conduct play therapy sessions. A more advanced training will be organised in 2010 for those who are serious about using play therapy in their daily work.  It is hoped that some of these trainees will  also assist to conduct play therapy sessions in the units set up under this program.

In 2010, we will be working with the Children’s Home in Beringgis Papar, an institution under the State Welfare Department for children, up to 18 years old, who have been abandoned or abused, and needing state protection and care.

Our in-house program is popular with the children who love to come for their special time with Aunty Irene! At the moment we are working with 39 children (22 girls and 17 boys) ranging from 5 to 18 years old, the majority of whom are having mild emotional problems. In order to work with more children we need more volunteers who can assist in the care and transportation of those children whose families are not able to bring them to our centre. Please contact Ms Irene if you are interested to help.