Holistic Support for Refugees Arriving in Greece

Since the civil conflict in Syria began in 2011 it has emerged as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with over 4.25 million displaced within Syria and more than 2 million refugees fleeing the violence into neighboring countries. Last year, Greece experienced record amounts of refugees arriving on it’s shores, prompting an emergency response to assist them on their journey to the European countries in which they wished to claim asylum. Following the closure of the Greek-Macedonian border in March 2015, Greece has shifted into a long-term transit spot for refugees, as their duration of stay remains prolonged and unknown. IsraAID began it’s operation in Greece in September 2015 and continues to adapt programs and services according to the changing needs of the situation.

IsraAID’s Psychosocial Support (PSS) team provides services at Petra-Olympou, a Yazidi camp located in Northern Greece. The Yazidis are a distinct religious community comprised of a 3-caste system with a unique culture. Careful consideration must be made when working with the Yazidi community to provide services in a culturally sensitive manner. IsraAID’s team of Arabic and Kurmanji speaking professionals provide psychosocial support services to residents and NGO staff and volunteers.

Program 1: Imaging Hope

Imaging Hope is an 8 session narrative-based intervention with the following goals:

-Documentation of stories

-Have a community narrative for the community and for global awareness

-Create a sense of hope for the future

-Process experiences in a safe space

-Self-recognition of the event

The sessions are structured on the following topics:

1. Individual, 2. Childhood, 3. Trauma and/or Coping Mechanisms, 4. Community and Collective Experience, 5. Reframing Perceptions of Difficult Experiences, 6. Narrative Organization (before/during/after), 7-8. Processing. The sessions conclude with the invitation to be interviewed and participate in a post-intervention survey to evaluate the intervention.

Program 2: English Lessons

English lessons are designed to promote positive thinking and resilience by choosing appropriate vocabulary and discussions. English lessons are very popular and are therefore an effective tool for providing soft PSS and building relationships with members of the community in order to identify needs and make appropriate referrals.

Program 3: Case Management

Case management is offered to extremely vulnerable individuals and appropriate referrals are made. IsraAID’s PSS team collaborates with other actors to obtain a thorough understanding of the needs of the entire community. The team regularly visits the tents to conduct needs assessments and to provide extra support where it is needed.

Program 4: Psycho-education

Psycho-education lessons are offered on a variety of topics such as 1. Prevention of Sexual Assault and Gender-Based Violence, 2. Coping skills, 3. Symptom Management, 4. Resilience, 5. Assimilation, 6. Prevention of Trafficking and Protection of Children, and 7. Health and Hygiene.

Program 5: NGO Staff/Volunteer Training

Training sessions are offered regularly to NGO staff and volunteers to promote adherence to the code of conduct, provide information on cultural sensitivity and protection issues, and prevent secondary trauma.

Program 6: Community-Building Activities

The team organizes movie nights and beneficiary-led art, music, dance, and sport activities to improve morale and provide support to members of the community that are interested in using their skills to improve the quality of life at Petra-Olympou.

The team uses group forums to conduct needs assessments that guide group session and psycho-education topics. Careful consideration is used to assure that members of different castes are represented. IsraAID is dedicated to providing services that are sustainable, focusing on group interventions to provide a safe space for processing emotions and learning coping mechanisms without creating the dependancy associated with therapeutic relationships. Training and support is provided to individuals who are interested in facilitating group activities and channeling information throughout the community. Services are evaluated using anonymous surveys that guide the planning of future groups and activities.

Petra-Olympou is a Yazidi camp consisting of predominantly Iraqi Yazidis, with less than 8% originating from Syria. The Yazidi community has a three-caste system, with members of different castes living in different areas of the camp and occupying different roles. Members of the sheikh caste assume responsibility for much of the decision-making and information transmission, with the guidance of a recognized leader. The team works collaboratively with the lead Sheikh and members of the caste while taking measures to assure that members of all castes are represented and offered PSS services.

Main Achievements

During the month of August IsraAID’s PSS team concluded “Imaging Hope”, an 8 session narrative-based intervention. Surveys were given to evaluate participant’s experiences and the results were highly positive. 89% of the participants surveyed reported an “increased understanding of their needs and ability to handle the pressures of their current situation following the intervention.” 100% reported that the atmosphere was positive, that they felt comfortable sharing their opinions, and that the applications were “practical and meaningful.” 78% reported that the activities “helped them to see things from a new perspective.” 100% reported that the facilitators were “prepared, organized, and expert.”

IsraAID’s PSS team was pleased with the evaluation of Imaging Hope, and will continue to offer the program in the upcoming months. The team will continue to offer case management to extremely vulnerable individuals, along with group sessions and psycho-education classes to promote stress and symptom management and healthy coping mechanisms, and training to NGO staff and volunteers. Members in the community have been identified to facilitate activities, such as sports, dancing, art, and sewing classes. In addition, the team will begin a Training of Trainers program to empower members of the community and improve information and resource transmission.

As the situation in Greece continues to change, IsraAID is committed to continue providing vital psychosocial support to beneficiaries and the staff and volunteers of present NGOs. IsraAID’s PSS team strives to provide the highest level of care possible in a challenging and uncertain environment.