KR-UK-IMPAKT
Annual Trustees’ Report for 2021 and 2022
We made good progress in the remainder of 2021 and 2022, the first years of the organization.
Given lockdown, the geographical spread of the trustees and busy working lives, the organization met virtually on a pattern of Wednesday after work monthly for an hour to coordinate work.
The focus of the organization early on was:
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Researching the provision in Iraqi Kurdistan of mental health, primarily talking cure therapies by:
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Talking to KRI academics
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Talking to government leaders in KRI and ministry officials
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Representatives of NGOs, the United Nations (WHO)
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Other partner organizations
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Establishing principles of work and structure of the organization
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Pro bono principle
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We created a website to consolidate identity and for basic promotional and advocacy purposes.
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Organizational capability. We assessed continually the membership and capability to carry out agreed tasks.
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Researching through academic studies the wider history and applicability of talking cure therapies, particularly Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, in KRI and wider in Iraq and the Middle East to:
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Establish lessons learned and other experiences.
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The group created three pieces of academic as part of wider studies and was shared with the group.
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Assessing the societal support for CBT in KRI
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Systematic discussions with stakeholders in KRI through academics, students, practitioners and government officials
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Socializing the concepts of MH and CBT
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Discussions while in KRI on other work or family business with leaders within government and society.
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Searching for delivery partners in UK
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We had extensive discussions with King’s College, London but, while finding much common ground, were unable to establish a modus operandi with them.
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The group had more success with the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (OCTC), which sits between the University and the Oxford Trust of the National Health Service.
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Designing the training module with OCTC
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Discussing potential delivery and cultural obstacles with OCTC and refining and honing the offering.
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Agreeing a reasonable and potentially achievable budget for presentation to donors.
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Finding suitable training partner in KRI
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After extensive discussions with several stakeholders in KRI and several online and face-to-face meetings, we decided that the European Training and Technology Centre (ETTC) would be our partner of choice.
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Agreeing a budget with ETTC and coordinating that with OCTC, and clarifying modalities between the two organizations
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Running a pilot project
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As part of our preparation, we delivered a week-long training programme for school counsellors in core mental health awareness virtually and with assistance of trained psychologists as identified by ETTC and approved by our organization
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The pilot project was successful with excellent feedback and engagement from participants.
- The KRG Minister of Education who attended the certificate ceremony at the end requested further mental health support
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Advocating for the project and improved mental health provision in KRI
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We started a search for donor support from the KRG and UKG but despite promising feedback and support we were unsuccessful.
Conclusion
By the end of 2022 we had a strong UK team, strong collaboration with primary partners (OCTC and ETTC) and a clear, communicable project, with a relatively modest budget and confidence that it would be applicable and culturally appropriate. We agreed to intensify the search for donors going forward.
Signed
Chris Bowers, on behalf of the Trustees