Letters: Change counselling model

For weeks now, various media articles have lamented the lack of counselling assistance available to those in need of such a service.

None of these articles have accurately identified the cause of the shortage, nor the solution to same.

The cause of the shortage is the false and sans-evidence belief that one needs hundreds or thousands of hours of training before one can be competent to be a skilled helper, when the evidence says only 50 hours of core skills training is required.

The solution to the shortage is to take the decision-making process about who gets to practise as a counsellor out of the hands of the professional associations, and instead adopt formal outcome measurements of service provision of providers.

This way, people in need secure autonomy of choice in terms of choosing who they wish to work with, and funding is targeted at those service providers who actually achieve positive results, regardless of their training, experience, or membership to a corporate political lobby group.

If we do what the evidence actually says works, then the positive outcome will follow.

DYLAN TIPENE
Ranui

Overblown rhetoric

The "caravan" of people making its way through Mexico towards the US border is "a desperate group of migrants and asylum-seekers, families with children ..." in Jay Kuten's evocative description (Chronicle, November 14).

Journalists and investigators who have spent time with the caravan report that it is made up of more than 80 per cent single males, mostly under 35 years of age.

The Mexican Government offered asylum to these people, and most of them turned it down. The journalists' interviews with members of the caravan showed people who wanted jobs, better healthcare, and generally a better future than they thought they could get in their home country. Quite a few said they were aiming to attempt to cross illegally into the US.

It also revealed people from different parts of the world, including China and the Middle East, and criminals in the caravan. The US authorities have confirmed that there are nearly 300 known criminals in the caravan.

This is only one of three current caravans moving towards the US, all seeming well organised, the sort of thing you could fairly describe as an "invasion". Considering that the US-Mexico border does not have any barrier along most of its 3145km length and US Border Patrol apprehended 50,975 people illegally crossing in October alone, illegal immigration is a serious problem.

An estimated 22 million illegal aliens live in the US now. To allow caravans like these to gain entry to the US would just exacerbate the problems.

But Mr Kuten makes the outrageous claim that US President Donald Trump saying that it is a problem and using the term "invasion" is to be blamed for the man sending bombs through the mail and the man who murdered 11 people at a synagogue.

In fact, Mr Kuten claims the blood of those murdered is on President Trump's hands.

Both men were obviously mentally ill and the synagogue shooter hated President Trump nearly as much as Mr Kuten does. If such people are set off by irresponsible or overblown rhetoric, perhaps Mr Kuten should stop his?

K A BENFELL
Gonville

Rousing challenge to haka

On viewing the All Blacks v England game at Twickenham, I listened to the British rugby fans singing their hearts out to drown the All Blacks haka but was astonished to hear a NZ commentator question whether that was "respectful"?

In my opinion, and I accept that I maybe a minority in my thinking, I thought their song was rousing and a reciprocal challenge to the haka.

It is an anathema to me that any international team opposing the All Blacks has to remain mute and respectful in the face of what in my opinion is a violent, intimidating war dance.

I lived for sport in my youth and was always encouraged to try to win but also to understand that I was involved in a sporting game, not war.

MAUREEN J ANDERSON
Tauranga

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