WK 311 Training peer counselors

War, catastrophes and epidemics around the world have created a need for services far beyond the capacity of professionals to provide them. By training peer counselors to provide competent and effective help for refugees, internally displaced people and HIV/AIDS survivors, some groups are able to help a far greater number of people.

Panelists

Featured Tactic: Jean-Baptiste Mikulu, Center for Victims of Torture, Refugee Mental Health Project, Guinea Complementary Presentations:

• Bhava Poudyal, International Catholic Migration Commission, Indonesia
• Arash Alaei, Pars Institute, Triangular Clinic (HIV/STI/DU Counseling and Care Center), Iran

Featured Tactic

Intensive training model for developing refugee psychosocial peer counselors Jean-Baptiste Mikulu, Center for Victims of Torture, Refugee Mental Health Project, Guinea

• View Jean-Baptiste Mikulu’s PowerPoint presentation 5,344 KB
• Read Jean-Baptiste Mikulu’s presentation outline

Intensive, supervised training gives refugees living in camps in Guinea the skills they need to provide mental health services as peer counselors to their own community. This training model gives real-world experience to the peer counselors while providing high-quality services to people in need. The model combines theoretical training with practical experience, supervision, monitoring and follow-up. While refugees receive counseling and therapy services from trained mental health professionals, the peer counselors learn psychological concepts and their practical application through observation and modeling. The model is well received by the community in both refugee and repatriated communities (the project also operates in Sierra Leone). Once peer counselors are adequately prepared, they are able to run their own counseling sessions with limited supervision by the professional staff, while they continue to receive additional training on a rotational basis, working side by side with the professional staff to gather additional experience with a range of mental health issues and problems. The most promising peer counselors take on many of the same responsibilities as the professional staff, providing leadership and training to others. The Center for Victims of Torture currently has approximately 120 peer counselors in training in West Africa. In addition to providing much-needed mental health services to the community, these peer counselors become a significant resource to their community.

Complementary Presentation

Bhava Poudyal, International Catholic Migration Commission, Indonesia

• View Bhava Poudyal’s PowerPoint presentation 419 KB
• Read Bhava Poudyal’s supporting material
• Read Bhava Poudyal’s presentation outline

The International Catholic Migration Commission trains local NGOs in counseling skills and awareness of the impact of torture so that they can develop relationships based on trust, compassion and caring with victims of torture. In doing so, this tactic provides local advocacy NGOs with the ability to build stronger relationships with the individuals they are trying to help.

Complementary Presentation

Arash Alaei, Pars Institute, Triangular Clinic (HIV/STI/DU Counseling and Care Center), Iran

• View Arash Alaei’s PowerPoint presentation 3,707 KB
• Read Arash Alaei’s presentation outline

In countries where social and religious stigmas deter treatment and education programs for HIV/AIDS, service is often limited to just those affected by the disease. In Iran, two doctors have used peer counseling as a means to gain the trust not only of those who have the disease, but also of key leaders in religion and politics. Peer counseling and word-of-mouth were used to educate communities of prisoners, drug users and young people, who were able to participate anonymously.