About RAS Wellington

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About RAS Wellington

Established: 1997

Manager: Jeff Thomas

Primary Objectives
Main Activities
Staff
Future Plans
Acronyms used in this document

Primary Objectives
The main mission of the centre is to provide refugees and migrants who have experience of torture and trauma with access to appropriate mental health services, in order to lessen the negative impact of these events on their lives and therefore assist in their resettlement and adjustment within New Zealand.
Main Activities
Treatment

The centre provides community-based screening, assessment, treatment/therapy, and onward referral, and also medical reviews by a consultant psychiatrist. Care management includes co-ordination of services from other agencies. Liaison/consultation takes place with general practitioners, mental health workers, and support workers (including ethnic community workers) to support community management of clients and the supervision of other staff.

The treatment methods used are eclectic and include CBT, Gestalt, narrative, problem solving, and other client-centred approaches appropriate to client needs and informed by cultural differences.

In the year ending 30 June 2006, a total of 61 new clients had been seen, 38 by the adult team, and 16 by the Child and Youth team, comprising of 31% Iraqis, 15% Somalians, 15% Ethiopians, 11.5% Sudanese, 11.5% Ethiopians and 16% of other nationalities.

Training

Training and education are available for staff of any agency working with refugees, where as mental health education is available for clients, caregivers, and support staff. Training is provided by staff on issues of cultural differences, trauma, and cross-cultural mental health. Training is provided to mainstream and NGO^* mental health, education and welfare workers.

Staff are mental health professionals, mainly trained as psychologist or counsellors in Bosnia, Australia, UK, France or NZ. All staff are clinically supervised by experienced external supervisors and attend regular workshops/conferences in New Zealand and Australia for upskilling.

Documentation

The centre records and monitors client activity and will be part of a national mental health information project being developed by the Government's Health Information Service. The library at the centre contains an extensive range of books and articles on refugee mental health issues that inform about the practices of the centre.

Information

As a treatment-based service, the centre has a limited role in providing information on refugee mental health. The centre fulfils this role mainly through training and education activities based on a workshop model. Each year, the Centre participates in relevant human rights campaigns, such as the "UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture", together with Amnesty International and UNHCR^*.

Networking

The centre is based in a "one-stop shop" of 6 agencies providing services to refugees and disadvantaged migrants. This provides the centre with the opportunity for close contact with a number NGOs^*.
RAS is an active participant in the Refugee Health and Well being Action Plan. This involves at least 15 government bodies and equal number of NGOs and the communities with refugee background people working together to ensure services provided for and with refugee background people are relevant.

Staff (as at September 2009)
Jeff Thomas was appointed in December 2006 to manage the Wellington Refugees As Survivors Centre. He has a B. Sc (Hons); Diploma in Youth and Community Work. He has worked in the social services, initially in youth and community work, then relationship counselling, group work and training. I then moved into management roles for not-for-profit social service organisations. From 2002 he has been working in the tertiary education sector. This has been in management roles in 3 Private Training Enterprises and a Polytechnic. All these organisations were offering educational opportunities for second chance learners.
Ranka Margetic-Sosa (employed fulltime) came to New Zealand in 1994 and is a psychologist trained in Bosnia, who has worked with war victims in Belgrade. Ranka had a specialist training in working with torture and trauma survivors sponsored by Soros Foundation. Ranka is also a Gestalt psychotherapist. She started work with RAS in May 1997 and is the Clinical Manager for the team.

Anne Woodside is originally from Ireland and is a NZ qualified Social Worker. Her working career to date has included Care and Protection, Youth Justice, Medical and Paediatric Social Work. Anne has been instrumental in founding and establishing two disability services in the Wellington region – DEALS and Tautoko Services – and has extensive knowledge in the field of Intellectual Disability, Autism and the perceived Challenging Behaviours of children and adults who are cognitively disabled. Her interest and passion is in supporting families in the care and nurturing of their children.

Angela Morgenstern is from Germany and came to New Zealand in 1994. She is a NZ qualified counsellor who has been working with a wide variety of clients from different cultural as well as and socio-economic backgrounds. She has a special interest in trauma, anxiety, and PTSD. Angela joined RAS in October 2005. She is part of both the Adult Team as well as the Child and Youth Team, and works for 32 hours per week.

Samson Sahele is from Ethiopia and joined the team in August 2006 as a cross cultural advisor on the Child and Youth consultation and liaison team. He is a researcher into the educational needs of young refugees and the barriers to learning. Samson is also a trained journalist and worked as such whilst he lived in South Africa.

Mairead Ni Chonaola. Education, counselling, clinical and professional supervision and psychotherapy comprise Mairéad’s professional training and experience. She joined the team as a part time counsellor / advocate in 2005. Gaelic is her mother tongue. Her part time work in education at the prison, her counselling and psychotherapy practice as well as her rugged, west of Ireland roots, flame her social justice commitment. She is a member of NZAC.

Lorraine Christie (Clinical Psychologist) joined the team in 2005. She feels very privileged to be working at RAS and putting to use all the experience gained over 40 years in the Mental Health field to help these highly deserving clients. Lorraine believes that the extreme trauma and loss they have experienced is beyond the imagination of most New Zealanders.

Julie Crosland started at RAS in September 08 and works 20 hours a week. She has trained in social work and in psychotherapy. Julie is New Zealand born and has English, Scottish and French heritage. Julie has a background in working in the mental health services with Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast Health DHBs, including working with people who have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Julie has also previously worked in refugee resettlement and was involved in the establishment of Interpreting Wellington.

Dr Jeffrey Vrielink is a Consultant Psychiatrist from Grand Rapids Michigan USA who is a locum with the Capital and Coast District health Board for one year (August 2009 to July 2010) He will work with the Wellington RAS clinical team 2 days per week.

Siobhan Lilley is the Office Manager and joined the team on a part-time basis in early 2006. She has tertiary qualifications in engineering and brings experience in database management as well as accounts and administration.

Other staff will be employed, as required.

Future Plans
The main the activity that the centre will pursue in the near future is obtaining funding for the provision of additional services. Also, as indicated above, the centre will be looking to explore other sources of earning income for the agency by establishing contracts for education and training in the area of trauma.

Furthermore, the centre anticipates working with ethnic communities to devise approaches to work with new arrivals, probably along the line of Early Intervention Programmes.

Acronyms
NGO - Non Government Organisation
FTE - Full Time Equivalent
UNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

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About RAS Wellington

Established: 1997 Manager: Jeff Thomas Primary Objectives Main Activities Staff Future Plans Acronyms used in this document
Primary Objectives The main mission of the centre is to provide refugees and migrants who have experience of torture and trauma with access to appropriate mental health services, in order to lessen the negative impact of these events on their lives and therefore assist in their resettlement and adjustment within New Zealand. Main Activities *Treatment* The centre provides community-based screening, assessment, treatment/therapy, and onward referral, and also medical reviews by a consultant psychiatrist. Care management includes co-ordination of services from other agencies. Liaison/consultation takes place with general practitioners, mental health workers, and support workers (including ethnic community workers) to support community management of clients and the supervision of other staff. The treatment methods used are eclectic and include CBT, Gestalt, narrative, problem solving, and other client-centred approaches appropriate to client needs and informed by cultural differences. In the year ending 30 June 2006, a total of 61 new clients had been seen, 38 by the adult team, and 16 by the Child and Youth team, comprising of 31% Iraqis, 15% Somalians, 15% Ethiopians, 11.5% Sudanese, 11.5% Ethiopians and 16% of other nationalities. *Training* Training and education are available for staff of any agency working with refugees, where as mental health education is available for clients, caregivers, and support staff. Training is provided by staff on issues of cultural differences, trauma, and cross-cultural mental health. Training is provided to mainstream and NGO^* mental health, education and welfare workers. Staff are mental health professionals, mainly trained as psychologist or counsellors in Bosnia, Australia, UK, France or NZ. All staff are clinically supervised by experienced external supervisors and attend regular workshops/conferences in New Zealand and Australia for upskilling. *Documentation* The centre records and monitors client activity and will be part of a national mental health information project being developed by the Government's Health Information Service. The library at the centre contains an extensive range of books and articles on refugee mental health issues that inform about the practices of the centre. *Information* As a treatment-based service, the centre has a limited role in providing information on refugee mental health. The centre fulfils this role mainly through training and education activities based on a workshop model. Each year, the Centre participates in relevant human rights campaigns, such as the "UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture", together with Amnesty International and UNHCR^. Networking* The centre is based in a "one-stop shop" of 6 agencies providing services to refugees and disadvantaged migrants. This provides the centre with the opportunity for close contact with a number NGOs^. RAS is an active participant in the Refugee Health and Well being Action Plan. This involves at least 15 government bodies and equal number of NGOs and the communities with refugee background people working together to ensure services provided for and with refugee background people are relevant. Staff (as at September 2009)* Jeff Thomas was appointed in December 2006 to manage the Wellington Refugees As Survivors Centre. He has a B. Sc (Hons); Diploma in Youth and Community Work. He has worked in the social services, initially in youth and community work, then relationship counselling, group work and training. I then moved into management roles for not-for-profit social service organisations. From 2002 he has been working in the tertiary education sector. This has been in management roles in 3 Private Training Enterprises and a Polytechnic. All these organisations were offering educational opportunities for second chance learners. Ranka Margetic-Sosa (employed fulltime) came to New Zealand in 1994 and is a psychologist trained in Bosnia, who has worked with war victims in Belgrade. Ranka had a specialist training in working with torture and trauma survivors sponsored by Soros Foundation. Ranka is also a Gestalt psychotherapist. She started work with RAS in May 1997 and is the Clinical Manager for the team. Anne Woodside is originally from Ireland and is a NZ qualified Social Worker. Her working career to date has included Care and Protection, Youth Justice, Medical and Paediatric Social Work. Anne has been instrumental in founding and establishing two disability services in the Wellington region – DEALS and Tautoko Services – and has extensive knowledge in the field of Intellectual Disability, Autism and the perceived Challenging Behaviours of children and adults who are cognitively disabled. Her interest and passion is in supporting families in the care and nurturing of their children. Angela Morgenstern is from Germany and came to New Zealand in 1994. She is a NZ qualified counsellor who has been working with a wide variety of clients from different cultural as well as and socio-economic backgrounds. She has a special interest in trauma, anxiety, and PTSD. Angela joined RAS in October 2005. She is part of both the Adult Team as well as the Child and Youth Team, and works for 32 hours per week. Samson Sahele is from Ethiopia and joined the team in August 2006 as a cross cultural advisor on the Child and Youth consultation and liaison team. He is a researcher into the educational needs of young refugees and the barriers to learning. Samson is also a trained journalist and worked as such whilst he lived in South Africa. Mairead Ni Chonaola. Education, counselling, clinical and professional supervision and psychotherapy comprise Mairéad’s professional training and experience. She joined the team as a part time counsellor / advocate in 2005. Gaelic is her mother tongue. Her part time work in education at the prison, her counselling and psychotherapy practice as well as her rugged, west of Ireland roots, flame her social justice commitment. She is a member of NZAC. Lorraine Christie (Clinical Psychologist) joined the team in 2005. She feels very privileged to be working at RAS and putting to use all the experience gained over 40 years in the Mental Health field to help these highly deserving clients. Lorraine believes that the extreme trauma and loss they have experienced is beyond the imagination of most New Zealanders. Julie Crosland started at RAS in September 08 and works 20 hours a week. She has trained in social work and in psychotherapy. Julie is New Zealand born and has English, Scottish and French heritage. Julie has a background in working in the mental health services with Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast Health DHBs, including working with people who have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Julie has also previously worked in refugee resettlement and was involved in the establishment of Interpreting Wellington. Dr Jeffrey Vrielink is a Consultant Psychiatrist from Grand Rapids Michigan USA who is a locum with the Capital and Coast District health Board for one year (August 2009 to July 2010) He will work with the Wellington RAS clinical team 2 days per week. Siobhan Lilley is the Office Manager and joined the team on a part-time basis in early 2006. She has tertiary qualifications in engineering and brings experience in database management as well as accounts and administration. Other staff will be employed, as required. Future Plans The main the activity that the centre will pursue in the near future is obtaining funding for the provision of additional services. Also, as indicated above, the centre will be looking to explore other sources of earning income for the agency by establishing contracts for education and training in the area of trauma. Furthermore, the centre anticipates working with ethnic communities to devise approaches to work with new arrivals, probably along the line of Early Intervention Programmes.
Acronyms NGO - Non Government Organisation FTE - Full Time Equivalent UNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees