Overcoming trauma, strengthening resilience
With psychosocial support, we help traumatized young people to come to terms with their experiences, build resilience and create hope – for a self-determined and better life.
We have been focusing on psychosocial approaches at terre des hommes schweiz since the mid-1990s. Our projects are based on a holistic approach – we take into account both the individual challenges of young people and their social environment. This in-depth knowledge and our many years of experience make us one of the leading players in this field.
Young people who have experienced violence, poverty or family conflict are often under enormous psychological strain. By providing holistic support, we give young people the tools they need to deal with their traumas, strengthen their self-confidence and regain their ability to act.
Our partner organizations offer traumatized young people psychological counselling and individual support. The aim is to empower those affected so that they no longer see themselves solely as victims. They discover their own strengths, develop new dreams and begin to come to terms with their experiences.
Group work is a central component of our approach. Here, young people can share their stories in a safe space, build trust and support each other. Joint activities promote cooperation and strengthen their social skills.
Our partner organizations work not only with the young people themselves, but also with their families, communities and external experts. Through information events and awareness-raising campaigns, we raise awareness of the challenges faced by young people and create a supportive environment that sustains them.
In South Africa, gender-based violence (GBV) often goes unreported, especially in townships and rural areas, where affected women and girls often receive too little support. With our local partner organization LifeLine, we support survivors of sexual abuse and offer medical, psychological and legal help.
Young people with a refugee background, especially those with unsecured residence status, often live under difficult conditions and have to deal with traumatic experiences. In addition, they have limited options for action due to their residence status. The MePower project at terre des hommes schweiz is a response to the lack of psychosocial support on offer. Young migrants deal creatively with their stories and strengths, experience appreciation and respect and learn to focus on their abilities.
