We continue training on inclusive psychosocial support for LGBTI persons in Banja Luka

As part of the project “Regionalising LGBTI inclusive psychosocial support and access to mental health services in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, funded by the European Union, two one-day trainings will be held in Banja Luka on September 30 and October 1, 2021, organized by Sarajevo Open Centre. The trainings are on the topic of providing LGBTI inclusive psychosocial support and mental health services, and are intended for employees of mental health centres and centres for social work in Banja Luka and surrounding cities in Republika Srpska. Trainings on this topic for mental health and social work centres were recently held in Mostar and Zenica, and by the end of the year it is planned to hold similar trainings in Tuzla, which will round up this series of trainings for psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers throughout BiH.

The training sessions will be led by Darko Pandurević, lawyer, programme coordinator at Sarajevo Open Centre, who will present LGBTI identities and the basics of LGBTI human rights, as well as the work of SOC on legal counselling and representation of LGBTI persons. Marija Šarić, psychologist/Gestalt psychotherapist and director of the Wings of Hope Foundation, and Zvjezdana Savić, psychologist/Gestalt psychotherapist, will focus on the inclusive approach to LGBTI persons, their problems and needs, with guidelines for inclusive psychosocial support in health care and social protection systems.

Since the protection of mental health and general social well-being of LGBTI persons is often surrounded by stigma and prejudice, it is necessary to raise awareness of professionals working in the fields of social protection and mental health, but also the general public about the importance of maintaining well-being and mental health care of this part of the population.

The goal of the project “Regionalising LGBTI inclusive psychosocial support and access to mental health services in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is to create an environment in which LGBTI persons will be encouraged and supported in accessing social protection and mental health systems that provide inclusive and sensitized services. In order to provide LGBTI persons with access to such support, it is necessary to raise the capacity of social protection and mental health institutions and to expand the institutional network of psychosocial support. It is necessary to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations dealing with the provision of this type of service, and to train their staff on LGBTI topics.

The project is implemented by Sarajevo Open Centre, and the project partner is the Wings of Hope Foundation from Sarajevo, which through its mental health program seeks to improve social inclusion and strengthen women, children, youth and other vulnerable groups, promoting and protecting human rights, mental health and support in education.

Employees of the mental health centres and centres for social work from Banja Luka and surrounding cities in Republika Srpska can confirm participation in the training sessions by e-mail: [email protected], no later than September 24, 2021. The number of participants is limited.

Note: In accordance with the epidemiological situation, all distance measures and disinfection protection measures will be complied with!

Agenda of both training sessions is available here.

Travel and accommodation costs in Banja Luka are covered by Sarajevo Open Centre.

For more information about the project, please contact:

Delila Hasanbegović Vukas, Programme Coordinator, Sarajevo Open Centre

Tel: 033 551 000

E-mail: [email protected]