Supporting IDPs in the church environment

In times of war, it is crucial to strengthen the people who directly provide aid to the victims. After all, supporting persons and victims can both experience high stress. The Church is one of the first places people seek support. That is why we have organised a series of meetings on topics that can help those working with internally displaced persons in the Church.

The series of videos on supporting IDPs includes the following topics:

• challenges the Church faces due to forced migration in times of war
• mental health and psychosocial support in the context of forced displacement
• psychological support of IDPs during the war
• provision of psychological first aid to IDPs
• finding and restoring one’s resources: techniques and exercises
• formation of a safe environment in the community
• risks of (sexual) violence against forcibly displaced persons (children and adults)
• how Church organisations/(arch)dioceses can minimise these risks and effectively respond to them

Among the lecturers are clergy representatives, psychotherapists, and experts in protecting minors from violence, particularly experts from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). This international Catholic organisation has been carrying out the mission of accompanying, serving and protecting refugees and forcibly displaced persons for more than 40 years.

We invite representatives of organisations, (arch)dioceses, and communities supporting IDPs to watch these materials.