As part of the Erasmus+ project “Common Point - Innovative approaches to training mental health service providers for the quality support of LGBTQI people” , Lesbian Organisation Rijeka – LORI held a training course on LGBTIQ+ topics for mental health service providers from April 21st until April 25th 2021 via the Zoom platform.
By exchanging knowledge, experiences and practices, 15 attendees (clinical psychologists, school counsellors, social workers and crisis hotline operators from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia) had their capacities strengthened which increased the quality of mental health services for LGBTIQ+ persons.
The programme included various LGBTIQ+ topics: terminology, coming out, transition and legal gender recognition, human rights, discrimination and violence against LGBTIQ+ persons etc. Through interactive contents (presentations, exercises, quizzes, Human library, group work, discussions) attendees had the chance to learn and sensitise themselves about the specifics of working with LGBTIQ+ people and the difficulties that LGBTIQ+ persons face in their daily life. Together, work was done on improving the attendees’ current skills in each of the previously mentioned areas of work. This training was also organised as a pilot pilot training which integrated some of the teaching methods from a new handbook for trainers on LGBTIQ+ topics, developed as part of this project.
Finally, evaluation showed great content of attendees with the acquired knowledge: synergy and good balance of the theoretical and practical part contributed to their growth so they can use new concepts, correct terminology and address the key oppressions regarding lesbians, gay men, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in their further work.
Intercultural dialogue and an exchange of good practices opened a new space for further collaborations and creating similar innovative programs.
Together we’re continuing to improve the support for LGBTIQ+ people.
The training course was held as part of the Erasmus+ project “CommonPoint - Innovative approaches to training mental health service providers for the quality support of LGBTQI people”. Project coordinator is Hatter Tarsasag (Hungary) and partner organisations are: Prague Pride (Czech Republic), Single Step Foundation (Bulgaria) and Lesbian Organisation Rijeka LORI (Croatia).
