Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-1999

Abstract

The intent of this training is to provide participants with an increased awareness and understanding of refugees and refugee worker issues. Adequate consideration of the situation of the refugee is necessary for preparing people who will be working with people of concern. As quoted by Theogene Rudasingwa, a former refugee from Rwanda, "Life (as a refugee) is something that you can only really experience in order to adequately describe it". This training tries to develop participant empathy with refugees but cannot reproduce an actual refugee experience. People considering going into the field of refugee work need to understand the factors affecting refugee workers and how to more effectively prepare themselves for working with people of concern. It is important for the refugee worker to consider the refugee situation as part of an overlying political situation and not that they are a savior. By incorporating background information and various activities, it is our aim to elicit empathy of participants for refugees and an understanding of the situations that they have been forced into. It is also hoped that practical, applicable tools are presented, which they may be able to utilize to become more effective workers in the field.

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