Healing Neighbourhoods: Community-Based Support for Torture Survivors

1. FFT’s vision is a world free from torture. While it remains, the human rights of survivors are restored through rehabilitation and protection. States responsible for torture are held to account.“Healing Neighbourhoods Project”Healing Neighbourhoods is a community development project integrated within Freedom from Torture’s existing high-intensity clinical services. The focus is on enhancing survivors’ rehabilitation and integration through the development of community-based psychosocial support networks.

2. Healing NeighbourhoodBackground & Development

3. “human rights are not just about what we do, but how we do things is every bit as important”Christina McKelvie, the Minister for the older people and equalities

4. A Human Rights-Based Approach (applies to FFT & HNP’ work): • The PANEL principles are an important way of breaking down & understanding what a Human Rights Based Approach means in practice: • PANEL stands for Participation, Accountability, Non-Discrimination and Equality, Empowerment and Legality. • SHRC (Scottish Human Rights Commission) ‘A human rights based approach: an introduction’ Pg. 2

5. Healing NeighbourhoodBackground & Development

6. Healing NeighbourhoodBackground & Development • In our work, the HNP Team utilise Community Development & Human Rights Based approaches • OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK HAS & CONTINUES TO BE DELIVERED WITHIN AN INTERLINKEDSUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKING CLOSELY WITH CLINICIANS,LEGAL & WELFARE SERVICES, and RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS ENSURING THE WELLBEING OF ALL CLIENTS ARE PROGRESSED AND THEIR INTEGRATION POTENTIALS ARE ENHANECEDat VARIOUS LEVELS • Structural identification • Cultural integration • Interactive integration • Identificationalintegration • Bosswick and Heckmann (2006/ 3-10) identify 4 forms of Integration

7. DEVELOPMENT WORK:Framework Defining Core Domains of Integration Community Development-Based Support Active & Democratic Participation Human Rights-Based Approach Psychological Support Trauma-focused clinical service Alastair Ager and Alison Strang: Understanding Integration: A Conceptual Framework. Journal of Refugee Studies, June 2008; 21: 166 - 191 - A Conceptual Framework Defining Core Domains of Integration https://academic.oup.com/jrs/article/21/2/166/1621262

8. Healing NeighbourhoodDevelopment Work • Two Critical Processes “to improving integration outcomes” are highlighted in the European Commission’s ‘Handbook on Integration’: • the “elimination of inequalities”: in education, housing, economic life, family life, social citizenship, anti-discrimination, etc. • the “acquisition of competences”: Life long learning, leadership, active citizenship, participative democracy, etc. • Promoting and enhancing Democratic Participation & Active Citizenship through Community Development Work: moving our, Clients as torture survivors, from categorisation into active citizens paired with full dignity, respect and equal citizenship • Cooperation and joint support structures in this context are vital for effective & efficient integration

9. DEVELOPMENT WORK: outline • Community workers move to 2ndyear • CWs Established connections and collaborative links with relevant stakeholders ensuring our clients are connecting to other agencies and services: education, trainings, sport and other activities. • Enhanced approaches to active participation and active citizenship among concerned clients: democratic participation, increased confidence and connectivity, empowered clients. • Conducted evaluation Workshops carried out by Queen Margaret University. Now we have a revised proposal!!

10. DEVELOPMENT WORK: • Enhanced understanding among our clients in relation to the dynamics of team work, importance of democratic collective decisions, equal participation, and cooperation. • Empowered clients ability to initiate and deliver activities themselves as well as contributing to discussions and sharing information and cooperation among themselves. • Enhanced self-esteem and confidence among participant clients / increased openness for participation, discussions and feedback presentation among peers, support each other, etc..

11. Support programmes provided by Healing Neighbourhood project: • Sport & Physical participation: • Badminton club • Bowling games • Gym membership • Kayaking sport for young people • Potentially football teams is on the process for both Men & Women

12. Support programmes provided by Healing Neighbourhood project: • Art and culture: • Dancing group sessions • Music workshops • Short film production • Creative writing stories workshop in different settings. • Crocheting for Freedom project • Therapeutic art sessions

13. Support programmes provided by Healing Neighbourhood project: • Engagement and Democratic Participation: • Consultation events. E.g. Fairer Scotland, • Evaluation workshops • Designing new logo for HNP • Co-facilitating HNP workshop at the Health Community Exchange Conference / sharing their experiences as new Scott in Glasgow and how FfT and HNP contributed into their rehabilitation and integration. • Community map on the progress and consultation meeting and update will be carried out by the IT expert and HNP team. • Taking part in organising FfTParliamentary reception for June to celebrate the INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SUPPORT OF SURVIVORS OF TORTURE.

14. Support programmes provided by Healing Neighbourhood project: • OUTGOING • Ongoing community Healing Garden sessions. • Discover Glasgow trips & vising historical places • Barbeque events in suitable weather. • Festival trips / Christmas party • Food Hygiene Training • Information delivery by agencies on Asylum and legal process

15. Barriers & Opportunities • Barriers Encountered: • Poor Start and participation of clients: issues & difficulties experienced in their asylum process, their destitution, stress and isolation, medication impact, poor housing conditions, psychological impact • Referrals slowed down due to changing of clinician staff; however, we have new clinicians recruited and this will increase the referrals to HNP. • Small number of Volunteer as ‘community connectors’ participation: Our volunteers gained very good experience and moving to jobs leaving a gap in our support settings. Recruiting and training more volunteers is a priority for us now.

16. Barriers & Opportunities • Opportunities • Initiating and developing collaborative work with relevant stakeholders including local community groups: Improving our community links locally and facilitate joint initiatives. • Increasing participation of clients and stakeholders in shaping and delivering the objectives of our project. • Supporting our clients initiatives, equal participation and representation at relevant forums locally ensuring their active engagement and participation (Human Rights Based Approach). • Facilitating responsive support led by clients themselves: e.g. Women Group Club, Football Club, etc.

17. we have a personal responsibility to act in solidarity to respect, protect and realise the rights of everyone in our society. Every person in Scotland who goes hungry, is homeless or is denied dignity or equality is a person whose rights are being denied. We are all entitled to those rights and many more.Christina McKelvie on “demonstrating leadership in human rights”Thank You Healing Neighbourhood Team