Special protection needs of refugees

Currently, Migration and asylum not only hold significant societal and political importance but are also exceedingly complex. The national asylum and reception system is part of a Common European Asylum System, so it is essential to consider the European level when it comes to the reception and care of refugees.

For this purpose, the Zentrum ÜBERLEBEN, as the coordinating body of the Berlin Network for Refugees in Need of Special Protection (BNS), developed a training program that makes the Center’s experience available to interested institutions and organizations and meets the needs of those involved in Berlin’s work with refugees.

The special focus of the center’s work at the interface of psychosocial and psychological care, legal counseling and human rights work is also reflected in the training offered.

In order to best meet the needs of those to be trained, the Zentrum ÜBERLEBEN offers Berlin authorities, organizations and other interested parties part-time or full-time training courses on their own premises or online, depending on the pandemic situation.

Training contents

The contents can be individually coordinated and are based on the following topics

• Sensitization in the range of trauma and psychological stress for the work with refugees
• Health and social impact of severe mental illness, trauma, chronic illness, and disability among refugees.
• Methods of taking indications for possible presence of traumatization and other mental illnesses.
• Trauma-sensitive conversation
• EU Reception Directive (2013/33/EU) on the minimum standards for the reception of individuals seeking protection, in particular on the services of particularly vulnerable refugees, such as mentally ill individuals, traumatized individuals, victims of severe violence or refugees with disabilities, chronic illnesses and elderly refugees.
• Special protection needs, guidelines and reference intake for the identification of protection needs and the Berlin Network for Refugees in Need of Special Protection
• Benefits according to the Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act (AsylbLG), especially with regard to medical and health care according to the Berlin benefits catalog for refugees in particular need of protection.

Depending on availability, the requests are forwarded to the BNS network partners and, if required, the training courses are implemented jointly.