Social Support Programme

Co-ordinator: Assia Baitosheva

As a result of a difficult social situation, a large number of women are unable to use the Counselling and Therapeutic Programmes. This requires a specific way of working with them, including social assistance and direct humanitarian aid. During the year 2000 this way of work grew into a programme with the aim of meeting the urgent social needs of the women and their children.

The social programme is closely linked to the counselling and psychotherapeutic programmes and the Crisis Unit in particular, because an emotional crisis very often is accompanied by a difficult social situation. Within the social programme the clients get assistance in dealing with administrative and institutional requirements related to finding jobs, accommodation, places for the children in social institutions, and medical services. The social workers give consultations and discuss with the clients their needs in relation to the existing social resources and how to use them. They also assist the women, if necessary, in contacting the police and the prosecutor's office, or in getting legal advice.

Within the framework of the social programme, the clients also receive humanitarian aid, which covers their urgent need for food, medicine, clothes, as well as fees for medical and legal services.