The organisation
Cúnamh was established in 1997 as a community led mental health project. The organisation emerged from the opportunity created in 1994 as a result of the ceasefire and subsequent political and social developments. This created a new environment and space in which for the first-time victims and survivors could commence a process of reflection, exploration and personal growth. These new hidden opportunities allowed for new methods of personal and community development to take shape. The rationale underpinning the development of the project was that the peace building process needed to cater for the emotional and psychological impact, which the conflict had upon Victims and Survivors’ health & well-being.
Throughout the past 18 years Cúnamh has successfully enhanced the organisation’s capacity to provide specialised psychological services and interventions in response to the emerging needs of victims and survivors, whilst simultaneously maintaining our community led ethos.
Cúnamh firmly believes that the process of recovering from negative emotional and psychological impacts must initially take place within a safe and empathetic environment. We believe that victims and survivors and communities are entitled to support structures which respect and understand their experiences, and which are complementary to state-initiated or statutory provision. As well as dealing with the legacy of the conflict, Cúnamh also believes in responding to need as it develops over time. Cúnamh’s history and identity is the strong base from which we open out to the evolving / changing society in which we live.
We provide the recommended standard of psychological and health and well-being interventions by appropriately qualified staff within a non-clinical, comfortable and safe community setting.
Vision
Cúnamh aspires to a community and society whose health, mental health and wellbeing is thriving through access to personal and community development opportunities.
Mission
To provide a community-led and based service catering for the emotional and psychological impact which conflict has had on individual and community well-being, and responsive to the emergent needs of the wider community.
Organisation Aims
- To provide victims and survivors with a safe place to explore and understand their feelings in relation to past traumatic experiences as they enter into the healing process
- To provide victims and survivors with a supportive and friendly environment in which they can actively negotiate various routes for change on their personal development and the development of their communities
- To establish a durable community-led support system
- To document the process as a dynamic model of progressive community support for implementation elsewhere.
Values
Community-led
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Being responsive and flexible towards the diverse needs of the victim and survivor’s constituency we seek to support |
Trust
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Empowering victims and survivors to heal themselves through processes based upon honesty, empathy and integrity |
Victim-centred
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Keeping the needs of victims and survivors consistently at the heart of our project vision and service delivery |
Safe Space
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Ensuring a positive, compassionate and confidential environment is promoted and observed by project staff at all times |
