terre des hommes schweiz offers training in “solution-oriented approaches”. Its partner organizations also work with the psychosocial approach in the area of peacebuilding. In this interview, Irene Bush explains how people find common ground after a conflict and what effects the psychosocial approach achieves.

How would you describe the psychosocial approach?

The psychosocial approach is all about supporting people who have become incapacitated as a result of traumatic experiences (e.g. conflict situations). This approach is intended to help people act in a responsible way, make smart decisions that contribute to the welfare of individuals and society, assume social responsibility, and establish and foster healthy social relations.

How does the psychosocial approach differ from other strategies?

Unlike other strategies, the psychosocial approach takes account of the fact that each person is individual and has their own story. However, it also takes into consideration the fact that no one stands alone. Each individual’s story is experienced collectively. I am who I am because I live in this period, in this community, and in this country. It is therefore a holistic perspective. The psychosocial approach gives people a new lease of life and helps them find their way out of resignation through small steps. They experience self-efficacy by changing something on a small scale.

So the psychosocial approach is a holistic one – even if it’s used with individuals?

Yes, because it considers humanity as a whole. A community, for example, comprises various different people with various different connections. Changes and sub processes always concern every level of society. If we want to change something, we have to look at people as well as the society and region in which they live.

terre des hommes schweiz wants to rebuild social relations using the psychosocial approach. Can you give an example?

An example is a project in El Salvador, which involves holding workshops with young people. Certain young people suddenly could no longer take part in the meetings as their parents did not like them talking to young people whose families had been part of the other side during the conflict. It then became clear to us that we had to include the whole family in the dialog. By doing so, we were able to show them that the conversations are not about finding a guilty party, determining who is right and who is wrong, but are rather about discussing what has been experienced and what caused it. Generally speaking, it is about understanding the present and the past so that we can plan for the future. We use all manner of different methods from the psychosocial approach to realize this.

The aim of these methods is to trigger inner change among participants. What effect does this inner change have on their actions?

Cali in Colombia is a region struggling with very high levels of violence. Together with our partner organization, we therefore work with young people involved in criminal gangs. In individual or group meetings, the young people discuss what they have already experienced and the suffering they have imposed on others. This is followed by a redemption and reconciliation process, which involves the young people meeting the former victims and reconciling, provided that the victims agree to it.

We have seen how the psychosocial approach improves social relations. What effect does it have on conflict situations?

It is often difficult to find common ground in conflicts. We try to do this by breaking the silence, which has a positive effect on conflict situations. Young people in particular often know very little about conflicts. However, if nobody talks about it, then the events of a conflict cannot be worked through either. We minimize the risk of another conflict outbreak by creating space for people to establish trustful connections in a playful or artistic way (painting, music, theater), which results in respectful exchange about the past. People who have lived through a war are often traumatized, which passes down to the next generation. This creates a society that does not talk about problems and which is shaped by apathy and aggression – a circle of violence that we want to break. The psychosocial approach teaches people that there are alternatives to violence. People who often resort to violence are usually helpless because they cannot express themselves in other ways. Through psychosocial approaches, they learn to express their feelings and grieve. Group processes allow them to experience that they are not alone with their own fate. Conversations about traumatic experiences helps them to overcome self-isolation and blockades.

You talked about common ground. Could you tell us exactly what is meant by that?

Common ground does not mean that the parties must share the same opinion, but rather that they listen to and value the experiences of the other party. Empathy is key.

Can the processing work not pose dangers too? Could such a procedure possibly open old wounds and refuel conflict?

The willingness of participants is crucial to avoid this happening. No one is forced to work through it. Clear rules and an experienced guide are also necessary. A clear start and end to the process are also important, as it also allows people to shut the door on the past and plan a future.

You said that peoples’ willingness is an important element. Is this willingness mostly present?

Yes, I think so. We mainly work with young people in difficult communities, where we are met with great approval.

terre des hommes schweiz measures the results of this project.  What kind of evaluation is this?

We define a goal and then look at the result. Our evaluation team surveys the young people who have taken part in the psychosocial training and compares their responses with those from young people who have not completed any training. The evaluation delivered very gratifying results: Young people who have taken part in a course on «solution-oriented approaches» are more active and more involved in the community. They put in more effort at school, are less apathetic, and have better communication skills. They also have more general knowledge. The evaluation also showed that the young people start with changing themselves and then increasingly share their knowledge and ability with their surroundings.