Good practice (Victims of Torture)

Good practice (Victims of Torture) Contract Title Promotion and dissemination of good practice in addressing specific needs of vulnerable groups – especially victims of torture and human rights violations – based on a transnational in-depth study and evaluation of working and treatment methods Funding Period 01/06/2010 - 30/11/2011 Funding Agency European Refugee Fund Total Cost €44,104 Partners BAfF, Germany Association Primo Levi, France Zebra, Austria ICAR Foundation, Romania Equator Foundation, the Netherlands Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute, Cyprus

Promotion and dissemination of good practice in addressing specific needs of vulnerable groups - especially victims of torture and human rights violations - based on a transnational in-depth study and evaluation of working and treatment method project, or Good Practice (Torture Victims) project, runs under the German Association of Psychological Centers for Refugees and Victims of Torture (BAfF)and is funded by the European Fund for Refugees (ERF); CNTI is one of the six partners of the project through its Unit for Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT).

Introduction

Over the last three decades, vulnerable refugees including victims of torture have been treated in psycho-social and medical treatment centres all over Europe. These centres take a holistic approach, offering medical and psychological care, legal advice and social assistance to torture survivors; they train health personnel in order to increase the quality of the treatment and rehabilitation services offered, as well as organising structures for mentoring and voluntary work to support their beneficiaries' integration into the host society. The centers are mostly organized as independent non-govermental organisations (NGOs) with a very broad range of available working methods and extensive experience, variety and knowledge. Unfortunately, through their often precarious financial situation rooted in insufficient public funding, the care of vulnerable victims puts high pressure on the staff concerned. The project is addressing the issue of ensuring staff remain able to contribute effectively to the work of the centres, in spite of those pressures, by avoiding burn-out, secondary traumatisation and so on.

Background

This project is being funded by the European Refugee Fund (ERF). It is a follow-up to the first European Project (Good Practice in Torture Care)which was completed in February 2010. It's principal aim was to develop a common approach within EU to the task of addressing the specific needs of vulnerable groups, especially those who have undergone torture or other severe human rights violations.