The NHSGGC experts and psychologists from Glasgow City Council’s education service have helped devise postgraduate training for people in Palestine seeking to work with children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties.
Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Councillor Eva Bolander is leading the twin city welfare projects and visited Bethlehem earlier this year. While there she also witnessed students who had undertaken a new, jointly devised, postgraduate cancer nurses’ diploma, which had been the focus for six years of twinning work.
The child-centred mental health partnership began three years ago and forms part of the city’s continuing commitment to the Bethlehem Municipality.
Ongoing support is being provided to institutions, schools and mental health centres across the area by academics from the Universities of Glasgow and Dundee.
Stephen McLeod, NHSGGC head of specialist children’s services, said: “We are happy to support the Lord Provost of Glasgow’s twinning programme with Bethlehem Municipality and proud to have developed the first applied children’s psychology postgraduate programme in Palestine.
“This will allow graduates of Palestinian universities to access applied training in children and young people’s mental health for the first time. The Scottish partners have also learned a great deal from their Palestinian colleagues about how they work together in adverse circumstances to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.”
Councillor Eva Bolander, the Lord Provost, said: “The trip to Bethlehem was inspiring. It was exciting to visit the joint projects concerned with health and wellbeing. I’m proud to be leading programmes fostering the improved health and well-being of our citizens. Work that’s helping strengthen the bonds between our people.
“Their success demonstrates the immense value of twinning relationships.”
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