The Department of Social Sciences at the University of Finland and the University of Namibia have released an educational video on early intervention in family violence. The video was launched in Namibia on 14 August 2024. The video highlights Finnish and Namibian approaches to addressing family violence and is intended for social workers, social work students and other professionals involved in family violence intervention. Family violence is equally prevalent in Finland and Namibia.
“Family violence is a global phenomenon and is often looked upon as a private family matter. The collaboration between UEF and UNAM certainly responds to the global call for action to curb and reduce family violence,” UNAM Vice Chancellor, Professor Kenneth Matengu notes.
“The video well depicts the fact that multiprofessional teamwork requires the training and education of students and professionals from diverse educational and scientific backgrounds. As our world grows smaller, it’s also important to understand the same phenomena from the perspectives of other countries and cultures,” Rector Jukka Mönkkönen of the University of Eastern Finland adds.
Alma Pyymäki, Team Finland Assistant at the Embassy of Finland in Namibia, commended the universities for their collaboration:
“Fruitful collaborations, like this initiative, exemplify what can be achieved when institutions come together to share experiences and expertise. Global collaboration in social work opens new avenues for skills development and new approaches. Learning from one another, sharing experiences across cultural boundaries, and experimenting with new learning methods are essential for successful collaboration between our experts and institutions.”
Simulation learning and reflection are important tools for training in family violence intervention
The video highlights how multiprofessional and interprofessional teams can come together to intervene in the phenomenon.
“Since tackling family violence requires professionals from different fields, we consider it important that such situations are presented to students and professionals from different fields and disciplines,” Senior University Lecturer Kaarina Mönkkönen and University Lecturer Piia Puurunen point out.
The video has a simulated scene focusing on how an interprofessional team handles a case of family violence. Simulation learning has been used at UEF to teach topics like family violence and is always followed by a debriefing session including reflection on the choices made and the emotions felt.
“We usually choose very sensitive topics that evoke a lot of emotions. When handling these situations, a lot of cooperation between professionals is required," Kaarina Mönkkönen continues.
The video can also be used in community engagement. “The video is not only an educational resource, but also a tool for community empowerment,” says Professor Rachel Freeman, Head of UNAM Cares, which is a project implementing the University of Namibia’s corporate social responsibility programme. UNAM Cares conducts several initiatives, including those in the field of family violence intervention, through community engagement.
