Psychosocial Aid Coordination Meeting

PSYCHOSOCIAL WORKING GROUP
25 September 2001


Participants:

Ms. Mayke Huijbregts, UNICEF (Chair)
Mr. Turgaj Mazlami, CARE
Mr. Goko Hadzi Angelkov, Doctors in action
Mr. Kiril Tasevski, MICS
Ms. Aleksandar Marcikic, Doctors in action
Ms. Gordana Veljanovska, ARC
Mr. John Gelissen, ICRC
Mr. Kerry Neal, ARC
Ms. Lejla Fejzula, El Hilal
Mr. Antoni Novotni, Safe Childhood
Ms. Alija Nehal, El Hilal
Ms. Marija Raleva, Safe Childhood
Ms. Vladanka Andreeva
Ms. Suzana Peseva, CPCA
Mr. Stojan Bajraktarov, WHO
Ms. Nadica Gjozeva, UNHCR
Mr. Radomir Gelevski, SOS Kumanovo
Mr. Ioannis Diangelakis, European Perspective
Ms. Slododanka Pendarovska, IOMH
Mr. George Laskaris, European Perspective
Mr. Harrald Happel, German Caritas
Ms. Maja Suslevska, Save the Children UK
Ms. Silvana Boskovska, UNICEF
Ms. Aleksandra Arsovska, Macedonian Caritas
Ms. Tatjana Seyppel, IOM


AGENDA

  1. Introduction of new participants/adoption of minutes
  2. Discussion on emergency response phase/strengthening of coordination among outreach mobile teams/psychosocial services
  3. Training for the assessment teams
  4. Setting guidelines of qualitative standards for psychosocial support services and on "vulnerability"
  5. AOB

1. Introduction of new participants/adoption of minutes.

Minutes of the last meeting were adopted.

2. Discussion on emergency response phase/strengthening of coordination among outreach mobile teams/ psychosocial services

Psychosocial assessment of the situation of IDPs and host families

The continuation of the vulnerability assessment in conflict affected areas on the level of vulnerability among remainees: El Hilal is interested in participating in such an assessment. Other organisations are invited to show their interest by next week's meeting. El Hilal and ICRC are willing to provide more accurate data on the location and numbers of IDPs and returnees.

Preparation and printing of information for IDPs and host families

ARC will share a draft English version of the leaflet (that will provide information to IDPs) with participants by the end of this week for comments and inputs and would appreciate to use the network of MRC, Centres of Social Work, El Hilal and mobile teams for distribution to IDPs and host families.

Organising mobile teams for psychosocial first aid interventions

A smaller group meeting was held after the general Psychosocial Working Group to discuss closer coordination of outreach psychosocial support through mobile teams between WHO, ARC, SOS Kumanovo, Safe Childhood and UNICEF.

Mapping of teams and the number of beneficiaries reached with psychosocial outreach support would be confirmed by next week as well as the areas and locations where outreach services are being organised and provided. So far there are 12 teams in Kumanovo, 12 teams in Skopje, 3 teams in Tetovo, 2 teams in Bitola and 1 team in Brnjanci.

3. Training for the assessment teams

Training of assessment teams will take place from 28-30 September at Hotel Molika in Bitola. The content of the training is Secondary traumatisation and Burnout prevention. The training is being organised by UNICEF and facilitated by SOS Kumanovo. UNICEF will send official invitations and the training programme to all participants by the end of the day. The training will be provided by Suzana Peseva and Julijana Stojanova.

UNICEF will fund and facilitate the training of field workers from local NGOs as per the request of European Perspective; official invitations, instructions and dates will follow.

4. Setting guidelines of qualitative standards for psychosocial support services and on "vulnerability"

UNICEF called upon professional representatives from participating agencies to establish qualitative standards for psychosocial interventions.

Action: inputs for the guidelines to be provided by agencies at next week's meeting.

5. AOB

UNICEF clarified that the role of the Working Group is to tighten the coordination of activities and that hard copies of the matrix of agencies and activities will be shared; however, input from some agencies is still required.

UNICEF also clarified that it cannot fund all project proposals related to psychosocial support that have been received, but that they will be reviewed and shared with other donors.

Please contact Mayke Huijbregts, Child Protection Project Officer and Silvana Boskovska, Child Protection Programme Assistant for any further information.


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