Program’s vision: Using the elements of visual arts as an integral tool in psychological and social support.
Core intervention: The conflicts and psychological crises affecting children, adolescence, youth, women and men have worsened in light of the existing conditions of permanent political and security violations in the region. It has been recently exacerbated by the escalation of the Israeli occupation illegitimate actions; the latest being the incursion on the Gaza Strip, the continuous aggression in the West Bank, the annexation legislation in the Jordan Valley, alongside the daily detentions, house demolition, land confiscation, settlement expansion and settler violence. These circumstances have had dangerous repercussions and have directly impacted the most vulnerable segment of society; children and women. Palestinian children and women have been overwhelmed and consumed in these crises, intensifying mind and emotional fatigue, creating feelings of despair, lack of confidence, generating violence in their personality and how they communicate within their surrounding community. As a result of these circumstances and their cumulative effects, the Forum’s program, ‘Psychosocial Support Through Arts’, focuses on the following core interventions:
- Empowering and enhancing the skills of artists and workers in the field: training artists who are interested in using their skills in supporting the community. Training school counsellors and workers as rehabilitation and care centers as well as graduates in related fields to provide psychosocial support using arts as a method. Noting that so far, more than 500 school and institution counselors through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social development, as well as graduates from related fields have been training in using arts in Psychosocial support psychological relief. More than 500 counsellors, workers, and graduates have benefited from the program.
- Providing psychological and social support services:
- Individuals: The Forum provides this intervention for marginalized groups who suffer from psychological and social pressures based on a systematic program in collaboration with local institutions in the area.
- Institutions: The Forum provides this intervention for staff members based on a specific program in which elements of the visual arts are used, such as clay, collage, drawing paintings, etc., in writing and social-psychological support. More than 5000 individuals have benefited from the program.
Main objectives:
- Contribute to preparing a cadre of specialists in the field of psychological and social support through the arts, who is creative, capable of producing and employing visual arts, affiliated with his Palestinian identity, committed to the values of his community, and socially and economically empowered.
Core strategic outputs
- Strengthening the capabilities of counselors, workers and administrators in educational, vocational and sponsorship centers in how to use art in psychological and social support.
- Cultural awareness of the importance of mental health in the development and progress of societies.
- Contributing to the use of visual arts as a tool for psychological support and relief.
Target group:
- Children, adolescents, mothers, women and men living in marginalized areas affected by the acts of the Israeli Occupation.
- Parents
- Artists
- Staff who work under pressure and in high risk areas.
- Schools counsellors.
- Care center counselors and workers.
