Vital Voices Costa Rica created virtual training and a platform that mobilizes professional psychologists, coaches and mentors to volunteer on an Active Listening Brigade. The brigade's mission is to bring emotional relief and support to rural communities. The main service the brigade offers is one on one virtual sessions in a non-judgmental environment. So far 126 people (mainly women) have received free active listening sessions, our goal is to serve 500 more during the holidays!
COVID-19 has put individuals and families under a lot of pressure and people from underserved areas do not have access to any kind of mental health. Violence in these areas cannot be prevented if anxiety, stress, feelings of helplessness, and the frustration of the financial crisis is not address. Women are specially vulnerable under these circumstances. A local partner organization has identified 500 women in need of psychological first aid, and asked for our help!
Vital Voices Costa Rica's brigade can provide emotional relief and proper follow up options to protect these 500 women. We offer active empathic listening. We can assist them in identifying, understanding and resolving personal challenges. To activate this intervention the brigade needs resources to pay for free training for more professional volunteers, a psychologist to lead and supervise the intervention and to connect users with proper follow up when needed.
Timing is everything, a listening space can be the difference between life and death. These 500 women need our help now! A safe listening space provided on time, will prevent dangerous situations and will provide guidance at a critical time in a person's life. The cases that require extra support will be identified by the brigadistas and will receive a proper referral.
