The overall purpose of the Baobab Centre for Young Survivors in Exile is to increase the psychological well-being and community participation of young survivors of organised violence and human rights abuses who are asylum seekers or refugees in the UK.
The Baobab Centre's aims for its beneficiaries are to:
· To enable the development of secure identity, resilience, coping strategies and insight into personal vulnerabilities through the containment of a psychotherapeutic relationships
· To address symptoms of trauma, grief, isolation and developmental difficulties
· To develop the capacity for relationships and the ability to work and participate in social and community life
· To enable the development of self-esteem, the capacity to reflect, to solve problems and be creative
· To provide an expert opinion on the psychological and developmental state of young people through the asylum process
· To disseminate expert knowledge about the psychological needs of young survivors of political violence and human rights abuses
The Baobab Centre meets these aims through the following activities:
· Individual and group psychotherapy
· The development of a community based on user participation
· Practical support through the asylum seeking process
· Support for access to education, housing, benefits, employment and healthcare
· Expert psychological reports for court hearings