Topic 3 : Coping with emergencies: Stress, Trauma and anxiety management

All educational providers should be ready to offer psychological support to overcome trauma experienced by migrants in different contexts and degrees.

Any psychological approach and support will need to take into account key cultural rhythms and pace. There is a sense of urgency for educators to receive training on how to recognise, and signpost people with any of the following trauma identified within migrants and refugees to the relevant professionals.

This could be:

(a) sexual trauma including rape, sexual exploitation and genital mutilation in their homeland, or on their way to their country of adoption;

(b) physical trauma from being kidnapped, taken hostage, and/or tortured;

(c) emotional trauma from experiencing or witnessing all of the aforementioned events.

In addition, all endeavours to try to adjust to different cultural settings and a completely new environment increases levels of stress and anxiety. Providers of formal, non-formal and informal education should be appropriately trained and equipped to support migrants to enable them to have meaningful engagement.