ACT Alliance Psychosocial Working Group (PSWG) Third Annual Meeting In Armenia

On February 14, 2012 the opening of the third Annual Meeting of the members of the ACT Alliance Psychosocial Working Group (PSWG) took place in Yerevan, Armenia. The PSWG represent church-related organizations from different countries all over the world — Armenia, the USA, Sweden, Australia, Zimbabwe, Norway, Indonesia, Malawi, and Palestine.
ACT Alliance has committed itself to support the poor and affected population all over the globe for a just world by working across faiths in humanitarian assistance, advocacy and development. Community-based Psychosocial Support (CBPS) adds a mental and social dimension to traditional humanitarian aid in emergencies and has assumed considerable significance as a focus for relief efforts along with material support. CBPS aims at assisting affected individuals and communities to attain a stable life and integrated functioning, to restore hope, dignity, mental and social well-being and a sense of normality.
The meeting started with a welcome address by the ART Executive Director, Dr. Karen Nazaryan and a Lord’s Prayer. The chair of the PSWG from Church of Sweden Else Berglund moderated the three-day meeting.
The members briefly presented updates on psychosocial work efforts of their relevant ACT forums, shared with activities of their organizations and achievements, discussed perspectives, ongoing changes and requirements within ACT Alliance and the planned activities regarding the 2011, reviewed the work-plan and members’ responsibilities of 2012, as well as presented ideas for exchanges and possible joint projects. The group elaborated an application document regarding the transition of PSWG into “Psychosocial Community of Practice” (PSCP) nominating all the current members of the represented organizations to ACT approval. The goal of the PSCP is to strengthen the capacity for psychosocial support of ACT Alliance members, to enhance resilience and local capacities of the affected population through cooperation and relevant outside support.
On February 16 the group visited to Armenia Round Table project “Day Center for People Living with HIV” in Yerevan. During the visit they had meetings with primary beneficiaries and the management and learned the multi-aspect assistance in the center – social, pastoral, psychological and peer support and counseling to people with HIV, injective drug users and their family members.
On February 16, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received ACT Alliance PSWG members, accompanied by Dr. Karen Nazarian in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation of the Round Table Foundation and the ACT Alliance, emphasizing the importance of charity and capacity building programmes, the social work of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the importance of the role of religious leaders in addressing many of the social and humanitarian challenges in the field.
The next meeting of the network will take place in February, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland.