Psychosocial support for Typhoon Yolanda victims

IsraAID Mental Health Expressive Arts psychosocial Support Project - Typhoon Yolanda Victims

Summary of activities Feb-May 2014

Since February, 2013, IsraAID’s Mental Health Expressive Arts psychosocial support project in the Philippines expanded within Ormoc City and further to Manila as part of IsraAID’s partnership with the National Mental Health Centre.

As of May 7th 2014 IsraAID together with Ormoc City Health has trained 165 key leaders in the community. Nine of the participants trained in IsraAID’s initial training in January participated again as co-facilitators with the IsraAID team.

Between February to May 2014 the IsraAID team in Ormoc City conducted the following trainings:

• Six 8-day trainings in which participants learned theories related to coping with trauma, such as: Psychological First Aid, Coping Styles, Group Work, Loss , Grief, and Mourning, Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Secondary Trauma, Resilience, and Post Traumatic Growth. The trainings provided practical expressive arts tools so that participants can then provide long term assistance within the community to individuals and groups hurt by the disaster.
• During the local ‘holy week’ IsraAID collaborated with a local church to provide a four day psychosocial relief activity for 20 young children. The activities were held in the church and focused on the expressive arts.
• The IsraAID team identified the population that has been transferred to temporary housing (locally known as Bunk Houses) as one of the most vulnerable populations in Ormoc. IsraAID team endeavoured to conduct Psycho-Social expressive arts relief activities reaching 65 people, predominantly women and children.
• IsraAID has strengthened its work with the National Government and in April 2014, an IsraAID team conducted two trainings for the psychosocial Team of the National Health Centre in Manila. Participants included 30 nurses, psychologists and nursing attendants. The Psycho-Social team was trained mainly in the use of the expressive arts and the dynamics of art related to coping styles, trauma and resilience Loss, Grief, and Mourning, Children and Death, Secondary Trauma, and Post-Traumatic Growth.The participants felt that the seminar presented them with new ideas, and said that they found the tool of expressive arts which is new for them, to be particularly important; hence they would like to have more expressive arts training. As the core mental health providers in the Philippines, it is important to emphasize the trainings aim to have a long term capacity building affect. 

Training of Trainers:

Training participants are encouraged to provide trainings and assistance to groups and individuals experiencing trauma in the community. Participants receive guidance and monitoring throughout.

In March alone, three trainings were given by past participants to High School children from the Linao National High School, Boys Holding in Ormoc city, and to 11 female prisoners awaiting their trails.