ARQ International

Abstract

Contents

From the Editor, Editorial Board and Editorial Staff: towards a new era for Intervention
Authors: 
Tankink, Marian

Introduction to Special Issue: linking mental health and psychosocial support to peacebuilding in an integrated way
Authors: 
Bubenzer, Friederike; Tankink, Marian

ARTICLES

Building sustainable peace through an integrated approach to peacebuilding and mental health and psychosocial support: a literature review
Authors: 
Tankink, Marian; Bubenzer, Friederike

Social and humanitarian organisations provide support to people affected by crisis events all across the globe every day. They respond to human suffering in many different ways, assisting people affected by disasters or other critical events, people suffering from loss or serious illnesses, and people living in isolation or being stigmatised.

Lay counselling - psychosocial support provided by staff or volunteers who do not have a mental health background or formal degree in counselling

Abstract

The commentaries on the next few pages relate to the article ‘Spirituality and mental health in humanitarian contexts: an exploration based on World Vision’s Haiti earthquake response’ by Alison Schafer on page 121-130 of issue 8.2 of Intervention (2010). The author uses the experiences in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake to substantiate her argument that nongovernmental organisations do not have a clear set of interventions to address the spiritual needs of an affected population, in conjunction with their mental health and psychosocial support needs.