Inter-agency coordination of mental health and psychosocial support for refugees and people displaced in Syria

The current crisis in Syria has greatly escalated need, while simultaneously damaging infrastructure within the country. In order for humanitarian efforts to be effective, understanding the mental health profile of the population concerned, pre-existing mental health system, resources and gaps, as well as an evaluation of the current service situation is vital. This paper provides an analysis of the shifting resources and infrastructure available to the affected populations in Syria, complementing the systematic review of mental health outcomes elsewhere in this issue.

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Painting glass as a psychosocial intervention: reflections of a psychosocial refugee outreach volunteer in Damascus, Syria

This personal reflection describes the experience of a psychosocial refugee outreach volunteer in Syria. Born and raised in Iraq, the author fled with her family to Syria in an attempt to escape the violence. Trained as an English teacher and educational psychologist in her home country, she volunteered to help other refugees in Syria and describes this as challenging, but very rewarding. Key factors to be able to continue her work are the importance of weekly supervision and being part of a team.

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Personal reflections on a psychosocial community outreach programme and centre in Damascus, Syria

This personal reflection describes the experiences of a Syrian psychologist who works as a (volunteer) supervisor of the mental health and psychosocial support programme of the UN Refugee Agency in Syria. Her reflections touch on the importance of psychosocial community outreach and an outreach counselling centre. The author also reflects on her background, motivation and challenges, as well as the impact of the current situation. She also highlights the impact of the transition of the programme from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to a national partner organisation.

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Healing through sharing: an outreach project with Iraqi refugee volunteers in Syria

In 2003, civil conflict and war broke out in Iraq, leading to the displacement of millions across the region. This report describes a project initiated by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in 2007 that sought to draw on the skills and experiences of Iraqi refugee women, in Syria, in order to assist in identifying and supporting the most vulnerable refugees in the population. Among the 180 Iraqi outreach refugee volunteers were teachers, doctors, psychologists, artists and others.

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Mental health, forced displacement and recovery: integrated mental health and psychosocial support for urban refugees in Syria

This article describes a pilot mental health and psychosocial support programme that was initiated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, after the massive influx of Iraqi refugees into Syria in 2006. The aim of the article is to provide: 1) an overall description of the programme for refugees within an urban setting, including initial outcome data; and 2) a description of applying a theoretical model to influence programme design and evaluation. This programme, based on good practice, began in 2008.

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Mental health of refugees and displaced persons in Syria and surrounding countries: a systematic review

Over the past two years, Syria went from being the third largest refugee hosting country in the world to the largest refugee producing country. This article provides the findings of a systematic literature review on the mental health and psychosocial support context, and the mental health profile of refugees (primarily Iraqi) and civilians in Syria. This review covers two periods: the complex refugee emergency that started in 2006 as a result of war in Iraq, and the current internal displacement and acute complex emergency starting in 2011.

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'Against all odds': UNHCR's mental health and and psychosocial support programma for Iraqi refugees and internally displaced Syrians

Intensified fighting and insecurity in Damascus has limited the ability of the Iraqi refugees, displaced Syrians, partners and staff to physically access many of the fixed facilities offering mental health and psychosocial services. Those that do, have to travel substantial distances through checkpoints and ‘hot areas’. However, before the conflict in 2011, UNHCR Syria was already in the area, operating a comprehensive mental health and psychosocial support programme for Iraqi refugees, building on the resources and capacities of the refugee population.

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Evaluating the psychosocial components of a humanitarian project

The author describes the evaluation of the activities of a group of psychosocial workers in Internally Displace Person camps and resettlement areas. These psychosocial activities were offered as an addition to a programme aimed at improving the living conditions of the target group by building shelters and livelihood programmes. The approach of the psychosocial workers was based on intuition and common sense, but not on an explicit view on the objectives of their interventions and the connection between these objectives and the methods they were using.

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Psychosocial support for Bhutanese refugees in Nepal

For more than 20 years, thousands of Bhutanese refugees have been living in refugee camps in eastern Nepal, in an uncertain and challenging situation. Now, the possibility of resettlement is bringing even more challenges into their lives. In recognition of this situation, the nongovernmental organisation Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation Nepal provides psychosocial support to this group, in collaboration with United Nations High Commission for Refugees and other humanitarian agencies.

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Common Threads: a recovery programme for survivors of gender based violence

A multi-dimensional, intervention programme for survivors of gender based violence was piloted in Lago Agrio, Ecuador and a nearby Colombian refugee settlement. Local facilitators were trained to implement the programme with small groups of women. The model introduces art therapy techniques, psycho-education, peer support, symptom reduction techniques and psychosocial skill building, within the context of a women's hand sewing collective.

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