Arts Therapy Clinic-Children in Crisis-CAMBODIA

Before we share some news and information on our staff care programmes. We would like to say thank you for your ongoing support, for your generosity and for your faith in Ragamuffin’s work with those who are often most marginalized. Every contribution whether financial or in reading these reports and staying connected is deeply valued, noted by our team and makes such a difference to us continuing to provide our services. On behalf of everyone in Ragamuffin Cambodia – Thank you!

‘Sustaining the Frontline’ - caring for those who care for others

 In any humanitarian work, staff well-being and professional de-briefing is as important as programme delivery. The human resource on the frontline of care is an organisation’s most vital asset and staff well-being, when dealing with daily trauma and crisis in their work, must be carefully considered if staff themselves, and their families, are not to become severely and negatively impacted by their commitment to bringing aid and solace to others.

’Ragamuffin works together with those who aim to empower and sustain individuals, families and staff teams in the restoration and development of healthy communities and work places.

In partnership with local and International organisations in Cambodia, Ragamuffin provides staff care programmes and intensive de-briefing. This work is critical in the support of those who work with those who suffer. Ragamuffin has been recently working with over 10 partners who support those who have been victims of trafficking, forced labour, young girls in crisis, and those who have been through traumatic events. In a recent staff care progamme for an organization that provides crisis care for young girls, a member of the team explained:

“I got to know my colleagues so much more deeply – their value and contribution to the work and recognised their ability to work so well and faithfully…we learnt a lot from each other …we’re normally so busy we don’t get a chance to appreciate each other … we need to keep this in mind …there was so much meaning in our pictures! Such a surprise!”

These thoughts demonstrate the importance of an opportunity to deeply value each other. Through the creative work each member of the staff team was able to recognize how much they were giving out and the cost this has to them. This was both moving and fun! There were such poignant moments as internalized pain found expression; and lots of joy and laughter as gifts were made and shared – everyone made something for everyone!

Collaborative parterships with teams and organisations enable both strengths and resillience to be celebrated, and also the discovery of personal, professional and organisational tools for staff care and well-being initiatives that can be realistically and effectivley implemented into practice.

“It’s so important that we are able to do this - it’s our chance to express and journey through the impact of what we are holding with our clients, the terrible stories we are hearing and how to care for and protect ourselves”

These programmes help groups understand the phenomena of vicarious trauma as we consider (through a range of creative processes) what we give out and what we take in as we do our work. Staff tams are enabled to recognise that to ignore the symptoms of vicarious or secondary trauma and the stressors it places on ourselves, our colleagues and our families is to neglect the vital instrument of care that each member of staff is. People are not machines, but it would never cross our minds not to look after and maintain a machine on which we relied.

It is so evident that regular opportunities to debrief and be restored is essential to the well-being and effective functioning of these much needed teams of dedicated individuals working with those in crisis. As they too then support children and young people who both are supported by their organisations and also who are referred into Ragamuffin’s Arts Therapy Clinic.

"You have helped me find my light in my heart again" (Young woman recieving Arts Therapy)

'Throughout my therapeutic work this year, I have been working with young orphans who have had HIV since they were born. They were referred to Ragamuffin to receiving our arts therapy service as they are individuals with complex family backgrounds. They have experienced many problems and have challenges with attachments, depression, behavioral issues, social stigmatization, unprocessed grief, and poor quality of life. Some were abandoned by relatives or rejected by friends, teachers at schools or by some people in their communities even though there have been a lot of media and health programs to promote awareness on HIV transmission. Apparently, for most people with HIV they still struggle with both social and self-stigma and these young people feel like they are holding a deep shame with an invisible emotional wound throughout their lives. As the result, they feel their world is "small, dark, and chaotic in which no one could understand and see them”. So our work is about creating a safe therapeutic relationship in which these young people can learn to feel safe again, to feel valued, and deeply heard. 

During the arts therapy process, the young people found the process like a sacred, personal and healing journey to their heart, and soul which enabled them to find their truth, there deep selves, new courage, and hope in order to move on in life or to navigate a way to discover loving kindness and compassion toward themselves and others. The art forms and other creative processes were used as therapeutic tools to support them emotionally and spiritually which provided a gentle flowing and natural way to express and reflect on difficulties and life experiences. Ultimately, they found their lives getting better, they were able to feel braver and more able to cope with the challenges of their illness and share their deeper pain and distress in side through their art and with me as a therapist. On behalf of these young people I would like to express my gratitude to all the supporters from and through Global Giving that help to make these life changing experiences possible' It is so important young people on the edges of life can recieve this therapeutic support'. (Serey Samchet – Director of Ragamuffin Cambodia and Senior Arts Therapist

Young people living in Cambodia experience so many challenges and demonstrate such a degree of resilience. Ragamuffin Cambodia continues to support those who are in crisis, are marginalised and are in need of expressive and creative outlets for their pain and distress. We also support those who self harm or live with very destructive family and social contexts, creative arts therapy is a powerful process to support a young person to express violent or destructive energies safelyas a result of their own feelings and experiences inside and also  what they witness and experience around them. We continue to support staff teams and organisations who work with the most vulnerable through training, staff care and supervision programmes. We believe the vital resource of those who care for, nurture, protect and support others, especially needs support, encouragement and opportunity to reflect and be strengthened. Ragamuffin Cambodia are providing a series of intensive staff care programmes in partnership with the Chab Dai coalition Cambodia and will also be running its next professional development training in June on Arts therapy and conflict transformation as part of our on-going services.

Thank you again for your continued support of this important work in Cambodia and the beneficiaries its serves.