“Parents are the Best Therapists!” This was one of the beautiful messages that came through very strongly at the evaluation of the course at Dilkhush Teachers’ Training Centre. The Certificate course, began with a total of 11 participants, predominantly parents of children with special needs and a few who were inclined in learning and helping persons with disabilities. The duration of the course was 12 Saturdays i.e. 36 hours of instruction, with lectures from renowned specialists in the field of the special education. Some of the topics covered were understanding the concept of disability, its physiological aspects as well current trends like Inclusive education. Other related topics covered were early intervention, and therapeutic intervention, teaching methodology for children with intellectual disability, learning disability and autism, behaviour modification techniques and basic counselling skills. There were also special workshops on art based therapy and interplay to help introduce the participants to various forms of intervention for persons with special needs, and to provide a healthy platform for self-expression, relaxation and understanding oneself on a deeper, spiritual level.  The participants attended every session with enthusiasm and the will to learn and understand various aspects pertaining to persons with special needs. This spirit of curiosity and passion helped enrich each session allowing speakers to happily disclose additional information on the topic based on the needs of the participants. The final session that involved the Evaluation of the course where participants were asked to choose a topic of their interest and make a presentation before the class.

The presentations made were truly unique and insightful. Each participant stood in front of the class and made presentations like they were the experts on the topics that they selected. The stories of their lives in connection to the theoretical aspects of the subject chosen,were told with emotion, truth and simplicity, which left everyone in the room teary-eyed to see their struggle but proud and inspired to see the strength and resilience that shown through their lives and their families. 

All the participants were grateful to the  team of faculty for initiating the course and requested that more courses like these are started to reach out and sensitize people.It was a proud moment for all the staff at Dilkhush Teachers’ Training Centre as the certificates of completion were distributed to all the participants, who accepted it with a sense of achievement, honour and happiness.