29 November 2016, Bucharest

Following the final conference, ICAR Foundation and Pluriels Association gathered at ICAR’s headquarters for the final project evaluation meeting.

The meeting started with a summary of the closing conference of the project which took place on 28^th November 2016, highlighting the major topic discussed during the event:

• challenges encountered during the implementation of the project;
• achievements (ICAR Foundation was certified as a training provider organization; the first training programme preparation and accreditation by the relevant professional institutions; the professional expertise of ICAR specialists has immensely increased through in-house training sessions, sharing of good practices and exchange of experience with Swiss counterparts; the launching of the professional publication on migrant trauma therapy elaborated within the project; harmonization of professional standards for mental health practitioners working with severely traumatized clients and/or migrants);
• how the Swiss grant contributed to both partners’ development (the project created a framework for a continuous Swiss-Romanian transfer of expertise, strengthened and institutionalized the existing collaboration between the two NGOs, strengthened the professional and organizational capacity of both organisations).

Key points of discussion for present and future collaboration:

• evaluation of the project (results, qualitative impact of the actions etc.)
• problems encountered and solutions
• measures for sustainability (how the training programme on trauma will continue)
• opportunities for future collaborations with Pluriels/continuation of partnership
• dissemination of project’s results at international level

ICAR Foundation and Pluriels Association have a long history of collaboration in promoting respect of Human Rights, contributing to the consolidation of democracy by assisting groups of vulnerable, marginalized people, victims of gross human rights violations.

The project Harmonisation in professional development standards in psycho-trauma intervention through Swiss-Romanian cooperation, co-financed by a grant from Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union represents a successful exchange of experience in the field of mental health with focus on severely traumatized individuals which can be replicated. At the level of applied knowledge and learning, the project contributed to the understanding of practical challenges regarding trauma in multicultural groups. This may enrich current views in the treatment of severely traumatised persons, and may thus contribute to a culturally adapted strategy for integrated trauma therapy and rehabilitation.