Humanitarian agency staff working in the Bentiu POC attended a training workshop on mainstreaming psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies.

Ms. Polin Beauro, project manager of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support from the International Organization for Immigration (IOM) said the workshop was vital to equip staff with the skills to help provide psychosocial support to people living in the protection of civilian’s site that are dealing with trauma.

Ms Beauro said emergencies create a wide range of problems experienced at the individual, family, community and societal levels.

During conflicts, and following natural disasters, populations are forced from their homes and experience deprivation and protection risks including deprivation from  livelihoods, separation from family, as well as sexual and gender based violence.
 
Ms. Beauro said as a result of the trainings the workshop participants would better able to apply the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) minimum standards of mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies.

Applying IASC minimum standards helps to better mobilize communities and disseminate relevant information, provide food and nutritional support, as well as health and education services, she noted.
 
Mr. Kinglington Keya James who was one of the participants said the workshop would help her better deal with mental and psychological support in community.
 
The four day long training workshop was organized by IOM and provided to community workers drawn from various humanitarian partners operating in the Bentiu POC site.