What perspective should I take towards missions training?
What types of training should I consider?
Can I become a missionary if I don’t want to learn another language?
» more related questionsQ: What training for missions should I get to serve people with special needs?
A: Consider social work
There are endless skills needed for working with crisis situations – but one person doesn’t need to have them all! Perhaps you are aware of the handbooks I have developed on various aspects of children in crisis: war, sexual exploitation, street children, etc.
There are some basic areas of study all should have as well as areas of specific interests and expertise one brings into a project. One does need to understand trauma issues and its impact on children developmentally—socially (including discipline, attachment, boundaries), spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. That first requires an understanding of normal, healthy childhood.
A degree in social work (at least in most programs I know) is better suited to trauma care than psychological programs. It is hard to define, but the Western psychological approaches generally aren’t helpful for crisis care. They rely on formal methods of measurements, testing, etc. Trauma care, however, depends more on observation (a child’s play, emotional responses, etc.); observation often is the main key in determining trauma. Counseling courses can be very helpful. Social work should also give one the skills needed for project development. In any program there are three aspects of need to address: children, projects and the caregivers. Caregivers often need care, too, due to the stresses and demands of crisis care.
Other areas that are needed in projects, according to one’s interest and/or expertise could include: vocational training skills, sports/play therapies, non-formal education, medical, music therapy, etc.
There are some basic areas of study all should have as well as areas of specific interests and expertise one brings into a project. One does need to understand trauma issues and its impact on children developmentally—socially (including discipline, attachment, boundaries), spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. That first requires an understanding of normal, healthy childhood.
A degree in social work (at least in most programs I know) is better suited to trauma care than psychological programs. It is hard to define, but the Western psychological approaches generally aren’t helpful for crisis care. They rely on formal methods of measurements, testing, etc. Trauma care, however, depends more on observation (a child’s play, emotional responses, etc.); observation often is the main key in determining trauma. Counseling courses can be very helpful. Social work should also give one the skills needed for project development. In any program there are three aspects of need to address: children, projects and the caregivers. Caregivers often need care, too, due to the stresses and demands of crisis care.
Other areas that are needed in projects, according to one’s interest and/or expertise could include: vocational training skills, sports/play therapies, non-formal education, medical, music therapy, etc.
