Training a new generation of young frontline responders in Hela Province

On 20-24 July, UNDP and the PNG Counsellors' Association delivered their their first-ever Community-Based Helper Training for young people in Hela Province.

July 24, 2026

Two presenters at a whiteboard lead a classroom workshop; attendees sit in red chairs. — More than 30 young people from Hela Province took part in the training

UNDP Papua New Guinea/Juho Valta

In recent years, Hela Province in Papua New Guinea's Highlands region has experienced alarming levels of intercommunal, gender-based, and sorcery accusation related violence.

While young people are often caught up in these cycles of violence, they also have the power to become agents of change by challenging harmful attitudes, promoting peace, and supporting survivors in their communities.

This is why UNDP and the PNG Counsellors’ Association, with the generous support of the United Kingdom and in partnership with the Hela Provincial Government, delivered their first-ever Community-Based Helper Training in Hela Province last week.

The participants conducted a series of role plays to learn how to manage interactions with survivors of violence in a safe and responsible manner

UNDP Papua New Guinea/Juho Valta

Over 30 young people from across the province took part in the five-day training, where they learned the fundamentals of psychological first aid and how to safely refer survivors to appropriate legal, medical, and psychosocial support services.

Through practical exercises, participants strengthened their skills in stress management, active listening, confidentiality, and supporting survivors of different forms of violence to access the help they need.

The training also provided an opportunity for the participants to understand the importance of knowing their roles and responsibilities when supporting people affected by violence, including when and how to safely connect survivors with professional services.

Three students study around a table, looking at a paper; one in a yellow floral shirt points. — The participants learned practical skills like active listening, stress management and maintaining confidentiality

UNDP Papua New Guinea/Juho Valta

For 20-year-old youth volunteer Elvina James from Koroba Station, the training provided practical guidance on how she can better support women in her community.

“Women in my community face a lot of abuse. Before I tried to help them in my own way, but I wasn’t really sure what I should do. This training helped me understand what my roles and responsibilities are in those situations,” she stated.

For other participants, the training offered an opportunity to reflect on some of the factors that can contribute to cycles of violence in their communities.

The training helped Elvina James, 20, understand how she should respond when women and girls in her community face violence

UNDP Papua New Guinea/Juho Valta

Magape Takipe, a Grade 12 student from a conflict hotspot in Huluma Ward, Komo-Hulia LLG, said learning about stress management was particularly important for young people in his community.

“The most important thing I learned in this training was the idea of stress management. Many young boys in my community don’t have any idea of how to deal with stress and that is why things escalate so fast here. Instead of talking, we just keep retaliating and that is why tribal fights continue to happen,” he said.

The Community-Based Helper Training is part of broader efforts to strengthen community-level capacity to prevent and respond to violence in Hela. By investing in young people and equipping them with practical skills, the initiative aims to strengthen local support networks and help communities respond to violence in safer, more informed and more constructive ways.

For 12-grade student Magabe Takipe (left), stress management was the most important skill he took from the training

UNDP Papua New Guinea/Juho Valta

For the young participants, however, the training is more than just a five-day course. They will take what they have learned back to their communities, where they can support survivors to access appropriate services, promote dialogue and help young people find alternatives to violence.

By empowering a new generation of young frontline responders, UNDP and its partners are helping young people play a greater role in building safer, more peaceful and resilient communities across Hela.