The Bahrain Red Crescent Society organized a training program entitled “Mental Health and Psychosocial Support”, in which a number of members of the Red Crescent societies and bodies in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries participated, in addition to the Society’s volunteers.
This program was organized over three consecutive days at the headquarters of the Bahrain Red Crescent Society in the diplomatic area, and came in coordination and cooperation with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and dealt with a number of axes, including analyzing the psychological needs of the afflicted and those affected by disasters, and supporting them in overcoming times. The difficult situations they are going through, training them to adapt to emerging emergency situations, respecting their independence and dignity, managing the coping mechanisms available to them, and working to promote the restoration of social cohesion and infrastructure, in addition to psychological first aid skills, self-care and peer support.
The workshop was attended by Ms. Maysir Sabri Awadallah, Chair of the Health Awareness Committee of the Association and member of the Regional Network for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and Dr. Mahmoud Mohamed Tharwat, Regional Head of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
The Secretary-General of the Bahrain Red Crescent Society, Mr. Mubarak Al-Hadi, said that this training program comes within the framework of the active participation of the Bahrain Red Crescent Society in the Gulf efforts aimed at building capacities in various areas related to humanitarian relief work, including the field of mental health, which has become an essential pillar of Providing aid to the needy and the affected.
He stressed the association’s keenness to continue building the capabilities of its affiliates and volunteers in various fields, and wished this training success, producing skills and achieving the desired goals of this training. And to ensure their permanent readiness to intervene when needed and perform their role to the fullest, in addition to transferring knowledge and skills to new members and ensuring their integration and mastery of the requirements of relief and humanitarian work.
The training program included introducing participants to how to provide quality mental health services with a positive impact on individuals and society, and the role of volunteers in raising awareness of the importance of mental health and psychological support and its employment in emergency situations at the local, regional and global levels.
