This article describes a study on the impact ofwar on Eritrean children living in an internally displaced persons camp in the Gash Barka region.. It is based on a psychosocial needs assessment conducted within the framework of a psychosocial project by the Dutch non-governmental organisation (NGO) ‘War Child,’. Key research questions used included; the nature of the traumatic experiences of the children, the prevalence of psychosocial problems, and the need for therapeutic intervention.

This paper describes an instrument for the monitoring and evaluation fprograms designed to improve the psychosocial well being of children: the Community Participatory Evaluation Tool (CPET). The community plays an important role when the evaluation tool is properly utilised. The rationale for use of the tool is explained, and its application in practice is illustrated with a case study.

Keywords: evaluation, community coping mechanisms, developmental tasks, monitoring

This article describes a therapeutic framing course suitable for traumatised adolescent refugees, aimed at coping with nightmares. The training connects directly with the complaints and symptoms of these refugees. As a result they feel less helpless. Sometimes this training becomes a point of departure for therapy during which traumatic experiences are discussed.

Keywords: adolescents, unaccompanied minors, PTSD

The problems of adolescent refugees in a western country

This paper is based on findings from a support group that was run at the Trauma Clinic in the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSFR) in Johannesburg, South Africa. It offered an intensive vocational training course with psychosocial interventions over a period of three months. The psychosocial interventions included a two-hour weekly psycho-education programme and a two-hour weekly support group intervention.

Traumatized refugees arrive in a new country exhausted, depleted and disoriented. Moreover, they have to face many new challenges such as getting legal residency, learning a new language and the ways of a new culture, finding housing, employment, etc:. With all these burdens, most parents have little solace to offer their children,, children who are also uprooted and overwhelmed.

This article describes the general use of Narrative Theatre and the skills needed by facilitators. The context fusing Narrative Theatre in the long term to strengthen social action is described. Emphasis and detail is given to the short-term application of Narrative Theatre as an activity or event:. The importance of structural support in terms of management, supervision in the field and on-going raining is highlighted. Practical application is illustrated by an example from the field.

This paper describes the conceptual framework and application of a working model (‘EPSoCare) for psychosocial interventionfor refugees living in camps in low income countries. The intervention's main objective is social re-integration of individuals with psychosocial problems. The model was applied in pilot programmes in camps with survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The interventions aimed to cover 360.000 refugees in camps in Tanzania, and 230.000 in a camp in Zaire.

In Nepal,, as is the case in many non-Western countries, psychosocial programmes have not been structurally integrated in the care giving spectrum. Integration f psychosocial programmes raises ideological issues and is complicated by practical difficulties. This article describes the current situation of psychosocial counselling in Nepal and what is still lacking, such as supervision systems, promotion of counselling, and effective strategies for community implementation.

Keywords: counselling, psychosocial programmes, training