Rehabilitation Support For Refugees in Germany

In 2015 only, more than 1 million asylum seekers arrived in Germany. The German Ministry of Interior say the vast majority were from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan and approximately 60,000 (out of the 1 million arriving) are unaccompanied minors. IsraAID responded to the emerging need through the establishment of an operation in Germany, building on its previous experience working with refugees around the world. IsraAID’s programs in Germany includes two main components:

1. Capacity building for shelter staff, humanitarian aid workers and of volunteers working in the shelters.
2. Providing direct psychological support in the shelters.

In the beginning of April 2016, IsraAID Germany initiated a six months’ “Psychosocial support for refugees in Berlin” pilot program. The first month was dedicated mostly to needs assessment, building partnerships and planning programs. Based on the needs assessment, IsraAID began operating in 2 main shelters; targeting 2000 refugees, shelter’s staff and volunteers. The programs included: training sessions for staff members of the shelter, a training course for volunteers from, and direct group and community work with refugees in both shelters.

Please see below for a small summary of two of the programs:
Training sessions for workers in the shelters: A four months course for 30 staff members in the Spandau shelter was conducted between mid-April and mid-August, 2016. Among participants were social workers, psychologists, project managers, shift-managers, child educators, community workers and translators. The meetings included theoretical knowledge, small group discussions and learning through experience by creative arts and drama exercises (such as role play and guided imagination).

Volunteers working with LGBTI refugees: During September 2016 we held two trainings for volunteers with LGBTI refugees in Berlin. The trainings were held in cooperation with an LGBTI rights organization. The partner NGO is running a mentoring program were one German LGBTI volunteer is mentoring an LGBTI refugee. The trainings were offered to the volunteers as an addition to their on-going supervision.

Thank you for your ongoing support!