In 2022, IOM Slovenia continues with the series of capacity-building trainings within the Includ-EU project. On 21 January 2022, an online training on the provision of psychosocial support to migrants was implemented by Ms. Rossella Celmi, Integration Specialist and Coordinator at the IOM Coordination Office for the Mediterranean, IOM Mission in Italy and Malta.

In the introduction, the trainer emphasized that the migration narrative is influenced by each individual, the media and social contexts, hence it is very important for the psychosocial worker to remain open to listening to individual stories to overcome biases. Identity/role is the key concept of well-being and integration of migrants, and a migrant's identity changes due to migration. In planning the psychosocial support for migrants, their experiences and factors affecting the well-being of migrants in all phases of migration should be considered. The trainer presented the IOM's psychosocial model which considers life experience which result from socio-relational, socio-economic, bio-psychological, and cultural-anthropological factors, elaborated in the IOM’s Manual on Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. Focusing on the vulnerability of migrants, Ms. Celmi outlined key protection and psychosocial risks specific for migrant women and children. She introduced the psychosocial intervention pyramid, emphasizing that a quality network and multidisciplinary and multi-agency approach ensure comprehensive tailored support in complex situations.

In the concluding part, the participants discussed case studies and agreed that capacity-building exercises and exchanges are needed to further strengthen the support network for inclusion of migrants.

Graphic harvest of the training was done by Lara Kastelic from Nariši mi zgodbo.

The Includ-EU project is funded by the European Commission – Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).