ABSTRACT
An expert workshop on vicarious traumatisation in refugee helpers was organised as part of the “Migration – Trauma in Transition: Exploring sociotraumatic roots of dealing with the refugees” Dialogue School. Relevant specificities when it comes to the provision of psycho-social support and potential risks to the professional helpers in local contexts were underlined from the beginning. The situation in Lesbos and Greece was characterised by urgency and numerous challenges that helpers had to face in their work. In many difficult circumstances, helpers are faced with the limited power of interventions. The situation is very similar for helpers working with refugees on the Balkan route since there are many systematic influences that cannot be changed – from the higher levels of state policy to the everyday-life conditions in the camps. Both trained helpers and volunteers should be prepared for the kind of issues they are going to face in the field, especially the ones concerning work with possibly traumatised persons.
