About us
The Solidarity and Support Network (SSuN) brings together volunteers who are psychological therapists keen to support the work of field volunteers in the refugee camps in Europe and of volunteers working with refugees in the UK.
What we do
- Confidential Personal Support via Telephone or Skype
Following a ‘buddying’ model, individual SSuN volunteers are paired with individual field workers and make contact by telephone or Skype. This can be while field workers are in refugee camps in Europe or following their return.
SSuN buddies provide free, confidential personal support & solidarity through regular conversations and dialogue. Buddies offer a space to reflect, be heard and process the challenges of being faced with such injustices. SSuN buddies are experienced in understanding the impact of trauma, vicarious trauma and other common responses to exposure to injustice and suffering. These conversations are not therapy, so if field volunteers wish for more in-depth support, buddies can signpost on to other services.
Who is this for?
Anyone who has worked as a field volunteer in a European refugee camp who would like a confidential space to talk about their experiences, either while they are in the camps or following their return.
Interested?
If you are interested in receiving support from SSuN, get in touch with us via [email protected] You will then be ‘buddied’ with a SSUN volunteer who will make contact with you via telephone or Skype. Buddies will check in at least every fortnight for three months after the initial contact and then review. If you would prefer to have more or less contact this can be discussed within individual buddy-volunteer relationships. There are no set requirements; it’s up to you. We can send you an info pack with more details about what to expect.
- Workshops
We offer a range of workshops to support the work of field volunteers. These workshops can be about the work volunteers are doing directly with refugees. For example we offer training on trauma and working with vulnerable people (e.g. children or people who have been trafficked). We also offer workshops on supporting the self and collective care of volunteers. In addition we can provide a range of written documents about these topics if this would be helpful.
Get in touch with SSuN via [email protected] and let us know whether there are particular workshops or resources that would be helpful.