Empowering Healthcare Providers through Value Clarification & Attitude Transformation (VCAT) Workshop

On the 19 and 20 May, the One Economy Foundation hosted a 2-day Value Clarification & Attitude Transformation (VCAT) workshop on Family Planning for 40 healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors, psychologists, and social workers. The workshop addressed myths and misconceptions, and examined harmful personal and professional attitudes and beliefs that impact service delivery of contraception.

Namibia continues to face significant challenges in adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including adolescent birth rates that are double the global average, early sexual debut, violence, and risky sexual behaviour, leading to increased risks of STIs, unintended pregnancies, and more.

By promoting value clarification and encouraging participants to reflect, the workshop aimed to strengthen healthcare providers’ ability to deliver high-quality, stigma-free services and improve health outcomes for young people in Namibia.

On Day 1, participants engaged in interactive sessions, case studies, and group dialogues to:

* Enhance knowledge of family planning and SRH services

* Promote value clarification

* Strengthen counseling skills

* Improve service delivery by integrating VCAT into healthcare practices

* Foster collaboration

In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Veronica Theron, Director of Health & Wellness at the One Economy Foundation, highlighted the personal biases that often lead to poor treatment of young people seeking healthcare. Owen Phiri, our Admin Officer, spoke on how competing personal values can complicate both the provision and seeking of SRH services, while Pefimbo Shipunda, our Senior Social Worker, emphasised how societal and cultural factors restrict youth access to contraceptives—especially for young women facing stigma and shame around premarital sex.

On Day 2, our speakers, Dr. Veronica Theron, Pefimbo Shipunda, and Lelly Amunyela focused on the impact of stigma and shame on SRH access, misconceptions about family planning, and how transformed attitudes can be applied in participants' respective healthcare roles.

Pefimbo led a discussion on the barriers created by misinformation. Participants reflected on their experiences, often noting that formal education was the first place they encountered information about family planning. Lelly emphasised that stigma and shame are powerful barriers to care, often leading to social isolation and fear of seeking services. An interactive activity allowed participants to reflect on how they might unintentionally stigmatise SRH services.

In the final session, Dr. Theron guided participants on applying their transformed attitudes in practice. Two of our participants, Paula Simson and Asser Mungungu, shared how the training helped them reassess their beliefs and reinforced their commitment to non-judgmental service delivery.

To close off the workshop, all participants received certificates of completion. We hope they continue to apply these critical insights, create safe spaces, and encourage help-seeking behaviour among young people in Namibia.