Gaza Community Mental Health Program opened on Sunday, December 29, 2019, an advanced course in the topic of child mental health and gender aimed at sports coaches working within the project “Sport for Smile – Stage Two”, which is funded by the German Foundation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

20 male and female coaches from local clubs are participating in the course: Al Maghazi Services, Al-Hilal Club – Gaza, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society Club.In which the psychologist Samah Mahmoud, implemented the first day of the training course, in the presence and supervision of the head of the Training and Capacity Building Unit at GCMHP, Ms. Inas Jouda, and Mr. Hassan Al-Shaer, Project Manager of “Sport for a Smile – Stage Two”.

This training aims to introduce the participants to a number of psychological problems that children and adolescents may face, which include behavioral disorders, the needs of children with disabilities and their psychological and physical challenges, the concept of violence and bullying and their types, self-harm and suicide, where real cases will be presented and discussed in order to enhance the intended skills from this training. In addition, training includes stress management and self-care.

This 40-hour course will continue to take place until January 5, 2020.