Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA) recently signed an agreement of cooperation to put into service an office for family counseling and integration at the Hashemite Flag Park in Basman region which belongs to the Social Services Directorate of GAM.
According to this agreement, signed by the Mayor, Omar Maani, on behalf of GAM, and the Secretary-General of the NCFA, Senate Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, the NCFA undertakes providing technical and financial support to GAM, to renovate and prepare the family counseling and integration office, and to suggest action plans, policies, and strategies, in addition to describing the tasks and functions of the working cadres, and organizing training programs for the office’s staff.
The Mayor, Omar Maani, stressed that the agreement is the first phase in the cooperation between GAM and NCFA, which is bound to include other regions of Amman City in the future; it also falls within GAM’s framework of social matters and its keenness to promote the Jordanian families’ role.
He pointed out that GAM extended its social message, and established a department specialized in social programs, stemming from its faith in the role of the family in the inclusive developmental process, including social, economical, political and cultural perspectives.
On her part, the Senate, Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, said that the family counseling and integration office project aims at raising awareness among the family members, by holding family guidance seminars, workshops, and conferences, in addition to educational and awareness brochures about the family solidity.
She also highlighted the importance of this agreement which goes in line with the NCFA’s vision to create partnerships with the public and private agencies, and the civil society institutions; she further emphasized the Council’s concern towards the family counseling and activating it in the society through building such offices, and initiating a media campaign to raise the awareness on this important concept.
She clarified that NCFA has prepared a strategy for counseling, and a training guide for family counseling which includes different topics of significance to people working in this field, to develop their skills in handling the issues the counter during work.
The agreement stipulated that GAM provide a staff to manage the center, which shall include experts in psychology, society science, legal and Shari’a laws, administration, and family counseling and integration.
GAM shall furnish the office which consists of counseling room (the clinic), waiting area (secretariat & documentation), and multipurpose hall for children. GAM shall further prepare an electronic record to register the incoming cases to the office, in addition to setting up a comprehensive plan to found two centers for family counseling in other areas in Amman.
It is worth noting that GAM has formed the Social Services Directorate aiming at creating a specialized environment for social work, and social services, and ensuring its sustainability.
