Gaza Mental Health ProgramGaza Mental Health Program

Training and Education Department Contact person: Abdel Hamid Afana

Philosophy:

The Training and Education Departments philosophy is to develop advocates in mental health who are concerned with mobilizing the social services in the community to assist individuals in feeling that they are members of the community and not merely members in the community. Their role has been changed from that of providing the care to facilitating care; thus, enabling people to solve their problems.

When established in 1990, the primary staff at the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) recognized the absence of training institutes that could adequately prepare mental health professionals in Gaza. To overcome this problem, the Programme embarked on ambitious in-service training activities for the staff at GCMHP and attracted trainers from prestigious training institutes from around the world. The trainers provided in-house training to the GCMHP staff so as to enable them to offer quality services to the Palestinian population. Several selected members of the staff went abroad to further their professional skills and returned with an increased capacity to assist in the training of local staff. The capacity of the Palestinian staff to conduct their own culturally sensitive training has also increased. In 1995, a one-year training of trainers course was conducted for five mental health professionals from GCMHP. The course aimed to improve the local trainers' training skills, enabling them to properly train others.

In addition to training GCMHP staff, the Programme has increasingly been called upon to train other Palestinian health care providers in various mental health skills. For example, in 1993 the Programme successfully completed a three-month comprehensive course in community mental health nursing. Twelve nurses from the Palestinian Health System attended the course. In 1994, the department conducted a one-year course in community mental health. Twelve social workers, psychologists, nurses, and doctors from different governmental and non-governmental organizations completed the course. These promising results encouraged the training Department to organize another course in 1995 for another fifteen professionals. Upon the completion of the course, the Palestinian Ministry of Education employed all students as mental health professionals in health institutions and as school counselors. In 1996, the department organized a six month training course for a women community leader for twelve community women leaders completed the course. Currently, they are running their own community women center in the southern part of Gaza. Twelve more students participated another one-year women community leaders course. The graduates opened their own community women center in Beach Camp in Gaza City.

To improve the communication skills and to enable kindergarten teachers to instruct children and their parents, the training department organized two six-month training courses for child care providers in 1997. Forty participants, selected from different kindergartens in the Gaza Strip, attended these courses.

In 1994, the department developed plans to introduce a Post-graduate Diploma in Community Mental Health for mental health workers of any discipline in an attempt to address this problem and compensate for the total lack of psychiatric training in Palestine. Training aimed to ensure that candidates have adequate knowledge of state of the art theories, principles, and treatment and prevention strategies used in addressing mental health concerns. The training is based on a spirit of the candidates active participation and self-learning. The diploma will be the first step towards the formation of an Arab Institute of Community Mental Health Sciences that will attract international students and researchers.

The curriculum for the courses taught by the GCMHP are culturally sensitive and are based on the needs of the students and the community. The staff of GCMHP is responsible for conducting lectures as well as practical training placements.

In-Service Training activities:

1. Journal clubs and case conferences

Aim:

To utilize the expertise of GCMHP staff by ensuring that they share their knowledge and experience with their colleagues. The clinical staff meets for journal clubs and case conferences that are held alternately. These activities are carried out in each clinic under the supervision of the team leaders. A seminar or study day held monthly analyzes certain social phenomena.

2. In-service training courses

Aim:

To enhance the staff's skills and knowledge in different areas related to mental health.

Course in Computer

This course aims to train a group of GCMHP staff in computer skills. It started on December14, 1996. Neveen El-Hams, research assistant at GCMHP, was chosen to teach this course about computers (DOS, Windows). Nine staff members participated in this course.

Course in Training Trainers

The Training and Education department invited Harriet Barli to give this course that aims to provide the potential GCMHP trainers with skills related to training others in the field of mental health. The four-day course started on 14 December 1996, and was held in Gaza. Ten trainers from the Programme participated in the course that included different types of teaching, how to form aims, and evaluate. The course ended on 18 December 1996.

Course in Psychotherapy at Tel Aviv University

This course aims to train a group of GCMHP staff members in psychotherapy at Tel Aviv University, and share their experience with Israeli mental health professionals. It is carried out in coordination with the Israeli Mental health Workers for peace (IMUT). Eight members of the GCMHP staff attended weekly course in psychotherapy at Tel Aviv University. The course started on 1992,one at every week.

The course was stopped many times because of the following problems:

-The difficulty in getting permits to pass Ertiz Check Point to Israel

-The continuous closure of the Gaza Strip

It was resumed in November 23,1995,and stopped again after two months .It was finished on February 1997.

1.2.4 Course in Group Psychotherapy:

Aim:

Train 10 professionals of GCMHP in-group psychotherapy to enable them to reach a big number of people subjected to trauma and violence

The course started on 1993 for 5 years. A Norwegian group psychotherapist, Dr Freddy Reddy, visited the GCMCP for this purpose twice a year, two weeks each visit .10 professionals undertaken this course. As a continuation of the course the trainer spent three weeks in July 1995 started from 8-28.In January 1996 he spent two weeks started from 4-16. In July 1996, he spent 10 days started from 30 November until 5 December 1996,

1.2.5 Course in Forensic Psychiatry:

Aims:

On October 14,1996, Nimer Abu Zarka, psychiatrist, Saber El Nerb, social worker, and Ibrahim Abu Nada, nurse, arranged a course for ten days in forensic psychiatry in Broadmoor hospital .This course included many things such as :a visit to various sections in the hospital ,to see the services provided especially pathology ,to see the number of patients and the number of employees. It was a successful visit.

2. Out -Service Training Courses:

Aim:

To meet the immediate mental health needs of the Palestinian population, by adequately training mental health professionals in Palestine.

2.1 Community Women Leader Course:

Aim:

To improve the quality of life of the women victims of violence and torture, their families and community, through strengthening of local rehabilitation, education opportunities and training facilities for women victims of violence and torture

12 community women leaders finished a 6 months training course in community women leadership. The candidates were selected from different parts of Gaza and passed through entrance tests. They are holding Diploma in health related issues .At the end of the course they would be able to tackle mental health problems among women victims of violence and torture .The curriculum is community oriented and based on women needs. The course started on March and was finish on October 1996.Trainers from Programme are conducting training sessions

Eight graduates were helped to open a new community women centre at the northern part of the Gaza Strip, Rafah.

Based on the first successful community women leaders course, training department jointly with the women rehabilitation project, GCMHP started the second course on October1996.The participants were selected from Beach Refugee Camp, Gaza. Who will work in the center that will be opened by the year 1998. It was a one year course aims to develop a pool of female community women leaders working as educators within the community of the Gaza Strip.

2.3 Social Worker Assistants Course:

Aim:

To provide social workers assistant who are working with different local non-governmental organisations with knowledge and skills related to community work and social assistance.

In cooperation with the Catholic Relief Foundation, GCMHP Organised a four months training course for 24 female social workers. They were selected from different local institutions such as: Jabali Center for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Gaza Zakaa Committee, Red Crescent Illiteracy Center, Center for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Center for Women s Health -The institution for Culture and Free Thought, Rafah Center for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Palestinian Prisoners Club, Benevolent Female Work Association for the Rehabilitation, Our Deaf Children Center, Association for the Rehabilitation of Women and Children, Sun of Freedom Center, and Abassan Cultural Center. The course was followed with a three-month follow-up period in which the trainees met with their supervisors from the GCMHP to discuss work problems. The course started on October20,and finished on June ,1997.

2.4 One year training course in community mental health:

Aim:

Meet the dreadful need of mental health service through training community mental health professionals

The new course started on January1, 1996, where 12 participants took this course. They are social workers, psychologists, nurses and doctors. The Course is comprehensive and covers both theory and practical placement. The course curriculum is community oriented and culturally sensitive .The Programme was designed to give individuals with Bas in field related to mental health the training necessary to work in the mental health field

Students took the final examination on October12, the results are due in November. Most of the participants are employed by governmental and non-governmental institutions

2.5 Course for Mongolian Childrens Rights in Life Association:

In cooperation with the Mongolian Childrens Rights, GCMHP Organised a short course in dealing children with especial disabilities, communication skills, family counselling. The course started on December 1996 for three weeks. More than 10 professionals working in the organization attended the course.

2.6 Mental Health Nursing Course:

Aim:

To provide primary health care nurses with knowledge and skills in community mental health.

In cooperation with the Faculty of Education, Gaza, Training Department of GCMHP Organised a 6 months training course in community mental health nursing. It was started in April 1997. Fifteen (15) male and female nurses working at primary health care clinics and general hospitals took the course. This course was finished on October 1997.

2.7 Child Care Providers Course:

Aim:

This course aims to improve the quality of child care services through the provision of professional training opportunities in aspects of child development and will being.

This course started on October 1996. 20 Kindergarten teachers are selected form different kindergartens and nursery schools to participate in this course. The continued for three months and was finished on December 1996.

Based on the first successful community women leaders course, training department jointly with the women rehabilitation project, GCMHP started the second course on July 1997 and finished on October 1997. Seventeen (17) participants were selected from different Kindergartens to participate in this course. The curriculum is based on the local needs of the children.

Two-year Post-graduate Diploma in Community Mental Health Summary Report (1997,1998)

GCMHP, Gaza Palestine P.O. Box 1049 Tel: + 972 7 865949 Fax: + 972 7 824072