Philosophy

Rafiki is a Kiswahili word that means "friend". We see ourselves as friends of the community. Our philosophy of service delivery is based on the following assumptions: Couple in their fifties display the love that has kept them together for so long

·   People are innately good;

· All people want the best for their families;

·  All people want the best for their communities;

·  Communities are groups of families;

·  Communities know their needs;

·  In a properly functioning system/community everyone has a valuable role to play in meeting those needs;

·  Communities like individuals have inherent strengths that must be tapped;

·  People will work together when provided with a genuine opportunity to do so;   and

·  Empowered families make strong communities.

Rafiki specializes in teaching the facilitation of communication, understanding that families, groups and communities can solve their own problems when provided with the appropriate tools and support. Rafiki sees its mission as the provision of clinical services and training that promotes the healing of negative attitudes, behaviors, thought patterns and emotional states that prevent the delivery of quality service to families and communities. Rafiki promotes skill development, attitudes of service and consciousness of social issues as necessary tools of both professional and indigenous helpers.

Rafiki is known for training professional and paraprofessionals in: (1) effective collaboration with family systems; (2) a competency based approach to interventions, consultations and trainings; (3) skillful integration of culturally competent concepts and practices into service delivery and program development; (4) a set of clinical skills based on ethical and moral concepts; (5) a parallel training process that focuses on both the transferring of skills and the personal development of the trainee and; (6) training in Enriched Structural Family Therapy (ESFT), our empowering model of prevention and intervention.