Reflections after the conference days

It has been really great to participate to this conference, both listening to the speakers and sharing experiences with teachers and fellow students around the tables. 

One main experience is that the picture and challenges are pretty much the same in Finland as in Norway.

By listening to the different speakers and not least via group discussions I'm also reflecting that it is so much more into the picture related to mental health and well being among homeless and underprivileged groups than one first could think, much based on what is presented by the media. As I'm working in a psychiatric clinic for acute mental illnesses I see people coming there with a refugee background having a lot of difficult stories in their back pack which they have never been able to treat or talk about at an earlier stage. This because it is not focused when giving health support for instance in the refugee shelters. Of course it is easy to see that this is caused by capasity limits and also that this sort of illnesses is more time consuming (treatment over a long period). And however the result is that they quite often try to solve the problems and run away from them by using drugs and/or alcohol. This entailing that the community will have a lot heavier challenge and cost at a later stage and in the long run. I learned from the speaker with the topic Global Health Clinic that the statistics over their treatments only 3% is related to mental health - and this by the same reasons as mentioned above. By my question she confirmed the figures to be under reporting the real problem and needs. 

Furthermore I reflected during the group discussions yesterday (about the researches) that it is a lot about to motivate the locals around to take response and involve to help the immigrants/migrants to integrate into the community. I think that that the authorities never will be able to solve the challenges and issues as such only with supporting with resources (which are reduced under the challenging economic situation we are facing for the time being). 'Talkoo' is the answer to it - in Norwegian 'dugnad'.

It's a long way to go - and it's also about to remember that early and right treatment is like a Kinder Egg - a benefit to the migrant/refugee, a benefit to the community and a benefit to the budgets (one € in is 4 € saved..).

Resources:

The different speakers

Fellow students

Some from the researches (via the presentations)

Who am I:

Thank you for the days!

Jon Helge Løken

54 years old, but still young enough to be a student at

VID, Diakonhjemmet in Oslo.

Bachelor in nursing, 4th semester (out of 6)