We’re excited to tell you about an initiative to develop Hearing Voices Networks in the West Balkans. A year ago, Slobodanka Popovic and Rachel Waddingham (London Hearing Voices Project @ Mind in Camden) were invited to Belgrade to run two workshops for people who hear voices and their allies.
These workshops were fully booked and stimulated much discussion amongst attendees. It was clear, from the reception Slobodanka and Rachel received, that there is a real need for the development of a Hearing Voices Network in this area – and enough passion from local people to make it happen.
See: http://www.b92.net/zdravlje/vesti.php?yyyy=2013&mm=09&nav_id=757353 for more information about last year’s visit.
One year later, and Slobodanka and Rachel are returning to Belgrade with Dirk Corstens (chair of Intervoice) to build on this initial enthusiasm by hosting two exciting events – ‘Innovative Approaches to Working with ‘Psychosis’ & Hearing Voices’ and ‘HVN – Next Steps’ on 16th & 17th June. These workshops are supported by Prostor, International Aid Network (IAN) and Duša – organisations which responded to last year’s visit so enthusiastically. They will further introduce the principles of the Hearing Voices Movement, bringing them into focus with practical ways they can be implemented locally. Approaches explored will include Hearing Voices Groups (peer support), the ‘Maastricht Approach’, ‘Talking with Voices’ and systemic/’open dialogue’ approaches.
After linking with people in Belgrade and planning a way forward for the local network there, our team will travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina to run workshops in Sarajevo on 20th & 21st June. This part of the trip is run in partnership with Adi Hasanbašića and Metanoia. Adi appeared via Skype at the event last year, and it’s fantastic that we are able to visit Sarajevo in person this time.
We are grateful to our allies in Belgrade and Sarajevo for supporting this initiative, in particular the work of Mina Aleksić (Prostor) and Adi Hasanbašića (Metanoia) for their commitment to organising these events and IAN and Metanoia for providing room for the workshops. We are also grateful to Hywel Davies (HVN Cymru) for his generous donation which is helping to make these workshops possible.
If you would like to support this initiative, either financially or by offering written translation support or other ‘in kind’ donations – please email [email protected].
Schedule
Belgrade
Monday 16 June: HVN: Next Steps / Živeti Sa Glasovima
13.00 – 17.00, Ohridska 11/2, Beograd (kod Hrama Svetog Save), Prizemlje Interfon “I.A.N”
HVN Next Steps Flyer (Belgrade)
Tuesday 17 June: Innovative Approaches to Working with ‘Psychosis’ & Hearing Voices / Inovativni Pristupi Psihozi I “Čujenju Glasova”
10.00 – 17.00, Ohridska 11/2, Beograd (kod Hrama Svetog Save), Prizemlje Interfon “I.A.N”
Innovative Approaches Flyer (Belgrade)
Sarajevo
Friday 20 June: HVN: Next Steps / Hearing Voices: Naredni Koraci…
16.00 – 20.00, Centar za kulturnu i medijsku dekontaminaciju, Kampus Univerziteta u Sarajevu, Zmaja od Bosne 8
HVN: Next Steps Flyer (Bosnian) | HVN: Next Steps Flyer (English)
Saturday 21 June: Innovative Approaches to Working with ‘Psychosis’ & Hearing Voices / Inovativni Pristupi Psihozi I “Čujenju Glasova”
10.00 – 17.00, Centar za kulturnu i medijsku dekontaminaciju, Kampus Univerziteta u Sarajevu, Zmaja od Bosne 8
Innovative Approaches Flyer (Bosnian) | Innovative Approaches Flyer (English)
