Psychosocial Support for Refugees and Displaced Populations Training Course

Course Introduction
Refugees and displaced populations face significant psychological, social, and economic challenges that affect mental health and overall well-being. This Psychosocial Support for Refugees and Displaced Populations Training Course equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to provide effective, culturally sensitive psychosocial interventions.
Exposure to conflict, displacement, and forced migration can lead to trauma, anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Participants will learn to recognize mental health and psychosocial needs, understand the impact of displacement, and apply strategies that promote resilience, recovery, and hope.
The course explores core psychosocial principles, including cultural competence, trauma-informed care, and ethical engagement. Learners will gain skills in identifying vulnerabilities, assessing psychosocial risks, and providing emotional support to individuals and communities affected by displacement.
Practical skills are emphasized through role-plays, case studies, and scenario-based exercises, enabling participants to deliver psychosocial support in refugee camps, community centers, or conflict-affected regions. Effective communication, empathy, and ethical practice are central to these interventions.
Emerging challenges such as gender-based violence, child protection concerns, mental health crises, and complex trauma are integrated into the curriculum. Participants will explore strategies for multi-sectoral collaboration, community-based interventions, and the design of context-specific support programs.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to design, implement, and evaluate psychosocial support initiatives for displaced populations, provide culturally sensitive care, promote resilience and recovery, and contribute to holistic humanitarian response programs.

Who Should Attend

• Humanitarian aid workers and field officers
• Psychologists, counselors, and social workers
• NGO and humanitarian program coordinators
• Healthcare providers working in displaced settings
• Educators, teachers, and academic administrators
• Policy makers and public sector officials
• Child protection and gender-based violence specialists
• Community leaders and refugee support personnel
• Volunteers and caregivers in refugee camps or displaced communities
• Anyone involved in providing mental health, psychosocial support, or humanitarian services to displaced populations

Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

• Develop participants’ understanding of the psychosocial needs of refugees and displaced populations across diverse contexts.
• Equip learners with evidence-based techniques for trauma-informed care, emotional support, and psychosocial interventions.
• Strengthen capacity to assess vulnerabilities, identify mental health and psychosocial risks, and prioritize interventions.
• Enhance participants’ skills in culturally sensitive communication and engagement with displaced individuals and communities.
• Build competencies for delivering support to survivors of trauma, conflict, gender-based violence, and complex displacement scenarios.
• Improve understanding of community-based psychosocial support models and multi-sectoral collaboration strategies.
• Promote resilience-building strategies for children, adults, and vulnerable groups in refugee and displacement settings.
• Enhance participants’ ability to design, implement, and evaluate context-specific psychosocial programs and initiatives.
• Introduce ethical guidelines, safeguarding, and professional boundaries in delivering psychosocial support.
• Empower participants to integrate psychosocial support practices into humanitarian response programs for holistic care and recovery.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Psychosocial Support

• Definition and scope of psychosocial support
• Principles of humanitarian response
• Psychological impact of displacement
• Rights-based and ethical considerations

Module 2: Understanding Refugee and Displacement Contexts

• Global and regional displacement trends
• Social, cultural, and environmental factors
• Vulnerable populations and high-risk groups
• Humanitarian protection frameworks

Module 3: Trauma and Mental Health

• Types and impact of trauma in displacement
• Stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Trauma-informed care principles
• Assessment of mental health needs

Module 4: Communication and Empathy Skills

• Active listening and empathetic engagement
• Building trust in displaced communities
• Conflict-sensitive communication
• Cultural competence and sensitivity

Module 5: Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Support

• Child protection principles
• Addressing trauma in children and adolescents
• Educational and recreational interventions
• Family and caregiver support strategies

Module 6: Gender-Based Violence and Vulnerable Populations

• Identifying survivors of GBV
• Safe referral pathways
• Multi-sectoral collaboration
• Empowerment and protection strategies

Module 7: Community-Based Support Programs

• Peer support and community networks
• Psychoeducation and awareness campaigns
• Resilience-building activities
• Mobilizing local resources and leadership

Module 8: Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning

• Risk assessment and emergency response
• Suicide prevention and mental health crises
• Safety planning for vulnerable individuals
• Coordination with healthcare and protection services

Module 9: Monitoring and Evaluation of Programs

• Indicators for psychosocial support outcomes
• Data collection and reporting
• Program review and quality improvement
• Scaling successful interventions

Module 10: Action Planning and Professional Practice

• Designing context-specific psychosocial programs
• Integrating practices into organizational policies
• Ethical considerations and safeguarding
• Sustaining support interventions in displaced settings

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, airport transfers, Upskill gift package and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better