{"id":28063,"date":"2020-11-26T16:14:37","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T14:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.terredeshommesschweiz.ch\/philanthropist-and-source-of-inspiration\/"},"modified":"2025-04-01T15:21:28","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T13:21:28","slug":"philanthropist-and-source-of-inspiration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.terredeshommesschweiz.ch\/en\/philanthropist-and-source-of-inspiration\/","title":{"rendered":"Philanthropist and source of inspiration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Irene Bush has the <\/span><\/b>P<\/span><\/b>sycho<\/span><\/b>-S<\/span><\/b>ocial Support PSS for young people at terre des hommes schweiz <\/span><\/b>. Irene Bush is now retiring and will remain with terre des hommes schweiz as a consultant. Reason enough to talk to her about the guiding principles of her work, about <\/span><\/b>Justice and a sense of community,<\/span><\/b> the principle of hope and their commitment to<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/b>young<\/span><\/b> people from North and South in precarious situations.<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“My path is not a straight<\/span>straight<\/span>a lot of things have just happened.” When Irene Bush says something, it’s clear and she means it. I meet with my colleague at the office of <\/span>terre<\/span> des <\/span>hommes<\/span> <\/span>switzerland<\/span> at the <\/span>Laufenstrasse<\/span> in Basel. <\/span>After over 20 years of commitment <\/span>vacates<\/span> she<\/span> her workplace these days in order to<\/span> us<\/span> as a <\/span>new pensioner <\/span>continue <\/span>in the<\/span> work with young people<\/span> with young people.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Irene<\/span> Bush<\/span> has contributed significantly to the fact that <\/span>terre<\/span> des <\/span>hommes<\/span> <\/span>switzerland<\/span> has acquired a core competence in the <\/span>P<\/span>sycho<\/span>-S<\/span>ocial support<\/span> <\/span>of young people<\/span>short <\/span>PSS<\/span><\/a> (Psycho <\/span>social<\/span> Support)<\/span>. The technical terms solution focussed approach (SFA)<\/a> belong in the same chapter. <\/span>Focused<\/span> approach) and youth participation – words that are not immediately obvious to outsiders<\/span>in the concrete work <\/span>with particularly vulnerable young people in southern Africa, Latin America <\/span>and<\/span> Switzerland<\/span> however<\/span> great<\/span> miracles<\/span> on a small scale<\/span> on a small scale.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Step by step to the goal<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h2>\n

With the <\/span>young<\/span>participants<\/span>end<\/span> in PSS workshops <\/span>one thing is particularly important, says Irene<\/span> Bush<\/span>“Not being left to their own devices, gaining hope and having the courage to take possible changes into their own hands and implement them step by step.<\/span>.<\/span>” What sounds simple <\/span>sounds<\/span>requires<\/span> <\/span>for you as a specialist <\/span>much<\/span> empathy, self-knowledge and openness, so that <\/span>young people to overcome their <\/span>paralyzing negativity <\/span>overcome<\/span>gain confidence<\/span> <\/span>and develop a positive energy<\/span>energy.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

“The young people come and go and we at <\/span>terre<\/span> des <\/span>hommes<\/span> <\/span>switzerland<\/span> are simply a station in their lives”, <\/span>says<\/span> <\/span>them<\/span>. “The most important thing, <\/span>what<\/span> we can give them is that they can <\/span>themselves<\/span> and know how to bring about change and make decisions in a self-determined way.<\/span> can<\/span>.”<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Using the leeway<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h2>\n

Irene<\/span> Bush, who founded the <\/span>PSS specialist unit<\/span><\/a> of <\/span>terre<\/span> des <\/span>hommes<\/span> <\/span>switzerland<\/span> has built up,<\/span> does not preach from the pulpit. Instead, she lives out what she believes in <\/span>, <\/span>\u00fc<\/span>everywhere and at all times. Even with yourself <\/span>st<\/span> she applies the motto “<\/span>think<\/span> positive”, “think positive”. When asked about her slipped disc, she explains that the first thing to do is to take a close look: Is it even a problem? “<\/span>You can learn to live with permanent restrictions, <\/span>as well as possible <\/span>deal with them<\/span>.<\/span>“<\/span> <\/span>Sometimes there is a “framework”, external circumstances that cannot be changed.<\/span>he<\/span>ssen. It’s worth it <\/span>the resistance does not<\/span>. Rather, she is concerned with the “exceptions <\/span> in the system<\/span>“<\/span> <\/span>to recognize, <\/span>says<\/span> Irene<\/span> Bush<\/span>“There are a lot of <\/span>small <\/span> Things we can change. We simply have to see them and <\/span> use the leeway<\/span> use it.”<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n