The free workshops on
strength based practices in Sarajevo and
Tuzla
Strengths Based Practices (SBPs)
concentrates on the inherent strengths of
individuals, families groups and
organizations deploying peoples' personal
strengths to aid their recovery and
empowerment. SBPs are empowering
alternatives to traditional methods with
individuals, group or organizational work.
SBPs refrain from allowing crippling,
labelling and stigmatized language.
A strengths approach offers a
genuine basis for tackling so much of what
mental health services struggle to deliver
on a daily basis:
(a) engagement of trusting
working relationships;
(b) empowering people to take
a lead in their own package of care;
(c) working collaboratively
on a mutually agreed agenda for change;
(d) tapping into personal
sources of motivation;
(e) sustaining gains
through learning and growing through change.
A strengths approach is a
specific method of working with and
resolving the problems experienced by a
person presenting to mental health services.
It is not a separate function, setting out
to ignore the problems and difficulties. It
attempts to identify a positive basis of
individual resources from which to tackle
the negatives that inevitably accompany the
presentation of problems. It provides
materials with which to tackle the blank
canvas that often accompanies the detailed
outline of problems.
After successful organization
of the conference in this region (Dubrovnik,
Croatia), we realized that numerous
practitioners from this country could
benefit from being introduced to strength
based practices and use them in their daily
social work and dealing with issues that
cripple local communities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
The workshops are scheduled
to take place between May 17th
2010 and May 22nd 2010.
Contrary to practice, workshops are not
fee-based, i.e. local attendees will not
incur any costs associated with attendance.
Hence, we will need support to enable
broadest possible participation of various
interest groups and individuals - groups and
individuals who, in conventional
organizational setting, would not have the
possibility to take part in the SBP
workshops.
Our initiative fits into the
overall; framework of activities organized
by a large group of local NGOs on reform of
social protection system in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, specifically because of the
large, disenfranchised group of people who
are being denied social care and protection
and the system which discriminates the
people by offering unequal protection to
different societal groups.
Why SBP in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The purpose of these workshops is to promote
the resilience approach
as opposed to meeting deficits. We do not
ask what problems we have. Instead we ask
what strengths do we have which allowed us
to remain resilient despite the challenges
we face?
Where better to ask this question than in
Bosnia and Herzegovina? This question is
common to this nation and binds it to many
other nations. This question is important to
Africa, Asia and Americas as well. Tsunamis,
man-made disasters, 9/11, wars still being
fought, famine and floods, fires and food
shortages, climate change and all its waves
change the face of life of common man in
every society and every nation.
The earthquake in Haiti poses this question.
A question we ask each day, when landslides
occur in one part of the world, when floods
ravage, when droughts hit the last fauna and
for a moment we may see a flying bird feebly
drop dead. Just for that moment we may be
lost. Yet, we collect our wits and the life
goes on.
Unprecedented global transformations
occurred in the last two decades of the last
century. Some societies are still reeling in
their aftermath. People asking for peace
seem to be outnumbering those who want a
war. There is a true global hunger for
principal leadership and collective wisdom
that can actively re-engage individuals,
groups, and communities, in our societies.
The search is on for strength based
practices at local, national and global
levels: Things that are working and things
that worked.
Given the variety of approaches to studying
coping and resilience issues and practicing
skills to enhance both, these introductory
workshops will provide a forum for
addressing them from very different
perspectives. Workshops will address the
following topics, deemed most relevant for
local audiences:
Challenges of reconciliation in multi-ethnic
and post-conflict societies;
Posttraumatic growth after extreme
suffering;
Resilience mechanisms in recovery from
individual and collective trauma;
Resilience after loss and grief;
Gender issues in coping and resilience;
Interventions for children and youth to
enhance resilience in adverse circumstances.
AUDIENCE
Practitioners, researchers, students, and
anyone else with interest in this subject:
-
Counsellors
-
Academics
-
Students
-
Researchers
-
NGO CEOs
-
Project Managers
-
Social Workers
-
Applied Behaviourists
-
Community Engagement Specialists
-
Social Scientists
Every one who is looking to make strength
Workshop Format
These workshops are intended to take place
over the course of three days, with two
one-day workshops in Sarajevo and one-day
workshop in Tuzla. The illustrative workshop
schedule is provided below:
Morning Session 9.30am5.30pm
Welcome
Introductions and program overview
What are Strength-based Practices
all about?
Principles of practice
Coping skills (resilience)
Building blocks of resilience
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Lunch break 12.00am -1.00pm
Afternoon Session
Cope with adversity
Posttraumatic growth after extreme
suffering
Resilience mechanisms in recovery
from individual and collective
trauma
Resilience after loss and grief
Challenges of reconciliation in
multi-ethnic and post-conflict
societies
Interventions for children and youth
to enhance resilience in adverse
circumstances
Childhood and adolescent resilience
Raising resilient children;
Resilient, confident kids
Culture and resilience
Gender issues in coping and
resilience
Resilience: risk and protective
factors |
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