ABOUT ‘WORKING FOR A BETTER WORLD – SUSTAINING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT’ PROJECT
The past decade has seen the movement of millions of women, men and children across land and sea, making increasingly dangerous journeys to seek lives of safety, dignity and meaning. Within Europe, many support networks and initiatives have emerged in solidarity with people seeking refuge: these include civil society organisations, faith-based groups, community initiatives, activists and search and rescue operations.
Those responding, as well as being witness to the endurance and courage of many of those who make the journey, also witness the suffering of people on the move. The impacts of this can be painful, overwhelming, stressful or potentially traumatic. However, many of those responding also speak to the vicarious resilience of working alongside those making the journey, as well as deepening awareness of their own capacity for endurance, and those of their peers.
MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT (MHPSS) RESOURCES
Funded by the Erasmus+ programme, our “Working for a Better World – Sustaining Civic Engagement” project seeks to support responders in their ongoing work and witness. With partners from Greece (Action Aid Hellas), Italy (CESIE) and Spain (Ulex), we are developing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) resources that will help to build resilient practices and cultures within networks and organisations of responders. These resources aim to respond to both the trauma of the witness, as well as the profound courage of those who survive.
OUR PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT RESOURCES
We invite you to read through these psychosocial support resources and use them in your practice – and we welcome any feedback and comments you might have. Our hope is that they will support responders in the essential task of resourcing themselves and their peers, in a way that nurtures wider, more sustainable ecosystems of care.
For more information and if you have any feedback, you can contact dervla@comhlamh.org.
RESEARCH – REPORT FROM IRELAND
Each partner conducted research into their countries, to map existing psychosocial supports for responders working with migrants, highlight gaps, and identify good practice. You can download the report from Ireland below.
PSYCHOSOCIAL TRAINING FOR TRAINERS MANUAL
Building on the research, this Psychosocial Resistance Training Manual comprehensive manual contains reflections and practices that can help anyone engaged in solidarity-based responses to migration. It addresses topics including acknowledging and responding to the trauma of bearing witness; skills in down-regulating stress and high activation; and developing intercultural awareness in service of relationships of solidarity.
PSYCHOSOCIAL LEARNING RESOURCE
A Psychosocial Learning Resource for Refugee and Migrant Solidarity Responders assists readers in better understanding of trauma and resilience, and the mind, body and nervous system impacts of sustained stress. It sets out easy-to-follow, practical exercises to support self- and peer-to-peer regulation. It encourages responders in understanding that the more we are balanced, regulated and rooted within ourselves, the more sustainable the work – and witness – becomes.
ROOTING RESILIENCE: SUSTAINING CIVIL RESPONSE
Panel Discussion & Launch of Psychosocial Support Resources for Migrant Solidarity Responders
The discussion took place on 15 December 2021. Watch the recording below.
In recognition of International Volunteer Day 2021, we organised a discussion with an international panel of Search and Rescue personnel and medics, psycho-social workers and camp volunteers.
At the event, we also launched two new resources: Psychosocial Resistance Training Manual and Psychosocial Learning Resource for Refugee and Migrant Solidarity Responders, aimed at supporting and sustaining those involved in solidarity-based responses to migration. You can download both resources on this page.
OUR PARTNERS
