MindSpring – a psychosocial group programme for refugees
MindSpring is a psychosocial group programme for refugees that aims to empower and give them a stronger sense of identity in a new country.
Name of the initiative
MindSpring: Psychosocial group programme for refugees
Organiser
DRC Danish Refugee Council
Summary
MindSpring is a psychosocial group programme for refugees that aims to empower and give them a stronger sense of identity in a new country. The overall objective is to improve well-being and prevent the development of severe mental health issues.
Target group
MindSpring is targeted to both newly arrived refugees and refugees who have lived in exile for several years. DRC Danish Refugee Council has developed MindSpring for children (9–14 years old), young adults (15–30 years old), parents and seniors (+55 years old).
Description of activity and expected results and effects
MindSpring is a psychosocial group programme and preventive intervention for refugees affected by challenges related to war, conflict and displacement. Through MindSpring the participants gain new knowledge about psychosocial issues and get the opportunity to discuss topics such as stress, trauma, changed identity, broken relationships, family life, loneliness, worries and loss with others in the same situation. They become aware of their own reactions related to displacement and are offered tools to act on the challenges they face.
The purpose of MindSpring is to strengthen the refugees’ ability to cope with psychosocial issues and thereby aims to prevent the participants from developing severe mental health problems or illness.
A MindSpring group consists of 10 two-hour sessions with 8–10 participants who have refugee backgrounds and speak the same language. The group meetings are facilitated based on a manual by a MindSpring trainer who has a similar background and speaks the same language as the participants.
The meetings are conducted in the participants’ original language and are based on the peer-to-peer approach which means like-minded individuals sharing experiences. To gather peers like this in a group creates security and a common basis of discussing topics related to displacement, which otherwise can be vulnerable to talk with others about. Through MindSpring it is possible to reach a target group that often is difficult to reach through the healthcare system.
DRC Danish Refugee Council collaborates with local actors e.g. social workers in the municipalities or teachers or counselors in schools to initiate MindSpring groups for refugees in their local area. The local actor supports the MindSpring trainer in facilitating the group by being a co-trainer with a professional background who can answer questions related to the society and legislation and refer participants to further help if necessary.
I am feeling mentally better. I am happier and more optimistic since participating in MindSpring. Particularly, when other participants would talk about their issues, I felt that what happens to my children is normal. It made me calmer and I became happier.
– Quote from a participant in a MindSpring group for parents.
Theory and knowledge
The MindSpring method draws on inspiration from the psychosocial field and is based on psychoeducation, empowerment, awareness, peer-to-peer, resilience and mentalization. The MindSpring groups for children are additionally based on Joyful Playing – a method that uses play situations as a way of supporting and strengthening children who have experienced trauma.
Competences
MindSpring is a method originally developed by the Dutch psychologist Paul Sterk. Today the MindSpring method is maintained by ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre in the Netherlands.
DRC Danish Refugee Council received the method from ARQ in 2010 and has since worked with the MindSpring programme in Denmark and developed manuals for children, young adults, parents and seniors.
To provide MindSpring requires training in the method and adaptation of the manuals. DRC Danish Refugee Council provides implementation of MindSpring and training of trainers in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
Economy
DRC Danish Refugee Council ensures funding for the MindSpring Centre that provides development, implementation and training in the MindSpring method. Collaborators pay for the training and adaptation of the method.
In addition, DRC Danish Refugee Council offers municipalities, companies and other MindSpring groups for Ukrainian refugees facilitated by two professional trainers in DRC. The cost of one group session is 35.000 DKK.
Assessments of providers and views of participantss
There is overall positive feedback on MindSpring from both MindSpring trainers, co-trainers and group participants. MindSpring trainers think that MindSpring gives them the possibility to support other peers and develop personally. Co-trainers, e.g. social workers in the municipalities, emphasize that MindSpring creates a space where it is safe to address vulnerable and challenging topics that otherwise can be difficult to talk about. They see it as useful and as a supplement to their daily work with refugees.
Participants are participating voluntarily and are very satisfied with MindSpring. There is a very low percentage of dropouts across all groups, both children, young adults, parents and seniors.
Evaluation, studies and monitoring
Since 2010 when the DRC Danish Refugee Council adapted MindSpring, several, both internal and external evaluations of the impact of MindSpring, have been conducted.
A pilot study, conducted by researchers from Competence Centre for Transcultural Psychiatry (CTP), shows that participants in a MindSpring group are very satisfied with their outcome of MindSpring. The objective of the study was to study the acceptability and self-reported effects of the MindSpring programme. 98 newly arrived Arabic speaking refugees living in Denmark who participated in the MindSpring programme signed informed consent to participate in the study. The results show a very high satisfaction with the MindSpring program, positive outcomes related to MindSpring specific objectives such as family life, psychological problems, life choices, living in Denmark and general well-being. The pilot study also shows an average 25 percent increase in quality of life.
Based on the pilot study CTP started a control group study that aims to evaluate the long-term effects of the MindSpring intervention among refugees. The tentative results of the study show that MindSpring has a positive effect on the participants’ mental health and knowledge about psyche and society among those who have completed a MindSpring group compared to those in the control group who have not. It is expected that the study will be published at the end of 2024.
Learnings and dissemination, implementation nationally/in the Nordics
The MindSpring method can be implemented in other Nordic countries. Besides Denmark, DRC Danish Refugee Council has provided implementation of MindSpring and training of trainers in Finland, Iceland and Estonia. Contact DRC Danish Refugee Council for more information.
Read more and contact information
www.integration.drc.ngo/mindspring
This text was published 25.11.2024
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