Sharing experiences: Psychologist, Albania
Name: Denisa Ndreka
Position: Psychologist
Organisation: Different and Equal
Country where based: Tirana, Albania
Contact: denisandreka(at)yahoo.com
1. Tell us a little bit about your role and how you're involved in supporting children affected by sexual exploitation and/or trafficking?
I work as a Psychologist at the organisation Different & Equal in Albania. Our organisation assists survivors trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation, labour, begging and forced marriage. My responsibility is to provide psychological support for the beneficiaries of the Different & Equal programme.
The aim of the psychological support is to help survivors improve their psychological wellbeing and their capacities and coping skills through affect-regulation, emotional management and self-soothing.
Individual counseling sessions and group therapy is provided for children and adults. The aim is to work on low self-esteem through self-growth activities and self-care strategies to help them develop a positive self image.
The counseling encourages them to talk about different issues in a trusting relationship. As part of the healing process this helps improve their personal power and assists them to think positively about creating change.
2. What activities and assistance does your organisation offer to children and their families who have been affected by sexual exploitation and/or trafficking?
The organisation Different & Equal provides every beneficiary with a re/integration package tailored to their individual needs.
All services for victims of trafficking are delivered in three phases:
Phase #1: Crisis intervention and accommodation
The initial assistance for victims of trafficking deals primarily with their accommodation. In the residential centre beneficiaries are provided with basic needs and crisis services including housing, clothing, food, medical assistance, psychological assistance, professional training, protection and security, family mediation and preparation for the next stages of re/integration.
Phase #2: Transition phase including semi-independent living
Different and Equal provides protected housing for beneficiaries who have begun to make the important transition into a 'normal' life. Adults will also be supported towards economic independence. After completing vocational training and maintaining a job for some time, they will move out of the shelter and into protected apartments, subsidised by Different and Equal. For minors, placement into foster families and alternative care settings is facilitated. Different and Equal monitor beneficiaries? progress in these half-way houses and foster-families, providing regular psycho-social assistance.
Phase #3: Re/integration and social inclusion
The support given in this phase is to empower them to gradually leave the programme. This support consists of offering re/integration assistance to the family and community where the beneficiary resides; information on resources and services available in the community; assistance to the beneficiaries in strengthening relationships with the support institutions in the community in which she lives; and regular case monitoring and follow-up.
In addition to working directly with beneficiaries, Different and Equal also works with victims' families and dependents. This includes working the children of victims of trafficking and assisting parents of minors to find work or access family counseling.
3. What are the biggest challenges in working in this area?
- Dysfunctional families are unable to support and help their children to recover and get treatment
- Mental health problems due to the trafficking experience
- Secondary trauma that affects the staff in treating cases
4. What are the highlights?
The highlight is when beneficiaries are re/integrated successfully into the society. It is great to have beneficiaries who have been empowered to make decisions and who now have healthy relationships with their friends and family and are independent and have a job after being part of the re/integration programme.
5. What do you think works well or is important for children in their recovery and why?
- Family support and the family's involvement in therapy
- Psychological and social treatment
- Reinsertion into the education system
- Social support
- The assistance should be tailored to the individual needs of each case
6. What knowledge or information would help you and your colleagues strengthen your work?
- Exchanging experiences with actors operating in the same field
- Training on psychological treatments
- Consulting with different experts working in this area
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