November 25, 2015

We had wonderful formation sessions for "Principles of Spiritual Formation" in a training week in Aqaba, Jordan earlier this month with 23 Syrian volunteers from the Za'atari Refugee Camp and eight Questscope staff.

Our Syrian volunteers in Za’atari – who are also refugees – are the backbone of our Youth Center and mentorship programs in the camp. They plan and facilitate activities and build strong relationships and a positive community.

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Syrian refugee youth have lost their homes, schools, and any sense of stability. They have experienced unspeakable horror and the psychological effects of such horrific experiences can be far-reaching. More than anything, they need a supportive community they can trust and an adult who believes in them.

These formation sessions that emphasize forgiveness and reconciliation are important not only for developing skills to be effective mentors to these youth, but also for strengthening the relationships our Syrian volunteers have with each other. It was also a much needed ocean-side retreat for our hardworking team, especially those who live in the camp and rarely get the opportunity to leave.

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The staff and volunteers returned to Za'atari with new inspiration and motivation to continue being drivers of positive change.

The training was conducted in partnership with UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), a number of whose representatives took part and provided great feedback on the quality of the training material and expertise of the trainers.