Psychology Textbook Part II Chapter 4 Better Together Creating Alternative Settings to Reduce Conflict Among Youth in Lebanon

PART II PART TWO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES When we use the term global we are referring to both physical regions , communities , and spaces around the world , as well as viewing everything from a global in turn broadens our perspectives and strengthens our foundational truths and helps all to live authentically . Abdul ( offers that living globally means , take into consideration the cultures , ethnicity , religions , and situations of everyone around the World ( para . From this foundation we bring to the reader two case , stories from outside of the United States . We , I believe you will be enlightened and ( pan map passport and camera drawn just a Closer to human foreground ) lives , that may seem so far away . The first case story is Better Together Better Together Creating Alternative Settings to Reduce Conflict Among Youth in Lebanon . Upcoming community psychologist shares a case study of an effort in Lebanon within the Nongovernmental Organization ( NGO ) sector to collaboratively create alternative and preventive settings to reduce discrimination and prejudice and develop collaborative living and transformation among youth and young adults . provides important historical context and rationale for using a based relational approach to develop the relationships for collaboration . The second case story is Promoting Change in Family and Community Systems to Support Girls Holistic Development in . draws you into the country of . Africa where you get to see the lives of a place often called , The Gateway to Africa . The case study describes an innovative program designed to address the issue of female genital mutilation ( a discussed subject , but here we are going beyond the most popular topics and centering and raising the voices of Senegalese girls and women . Come with us . You never be the same again .

BETTER TOGETHER CREATING ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS TO REDUCE CONFLICT AMONG YOUTH IN LEBANON This case story illustrates community psychology in action within the region of Lebanon , where a collaborative partnership worked to create alternative settings for youth to reduce conflict .

52 SEE CONTRIBUTORS PAGE FOR LIST OF AUTHORS ( EDITED BY PALMER , TODD ROGERS , JUDAH VIOLA , AND ) The Big Picture Image above is a family In Lebanon a Lebanese soldier and an internal security guard in the background Community psychology in action can be seen through program implementation by Organizations ( and Civil Society in much of the international community . There are two main broad of Humanitarian Aid and International Development . Humanitarian Aid responds to an incident or event ( natural disaster , poverty , or mass human displacement ) and focuses on disaster relief and meeting the immediate needs of the impacted communities . However , these services often take much longer periods than expected due to systemic . International Development programs , on the other hand , respond to term systematic problems and focus mainly on economic , social , and political development . It does so through human rights , diplomacy , and advocacy programs as well as , economic , infrastructure , and capacity development . Both fields , along with others , often are implemented interchangeably and are impacted by and impact local realities . Lebanon , for example , experienced an of Syrian refugees ( a quarter of the population ) due to the ongoing 2011 Syria . As a result , the country also experienced an of International Organizations ( and Humanitarian Aid funding to support the refugee population . The situation eventually increased tension between host communities and refugees , and between different Lebanese sectarian groups , which can be attributed to the following factors shown below Factors Increasing Tensions

CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE A GLOBAL LENS 53 Lebanon is a country of multiple minority groups with a fragile system and that can be impacted by minimal demographic changes . Lebanon has a history of mass resettlement ( Armenian , and Iraqi ) Lebanon came out of a gruesome civil war , which involved local and external forces ( Lebanese , Palestinian , Syrian , and Israeli ) ending in 1990 , with two occupations . After the end of the Israeli ( 2000 ) and Syrian ( 2005 ) occupations the country was left even more divided , polarized , and with increased corruption , creating the perfect environment for foreign influence ( Much of the population still has resentment and ongoing fear from the Syrian occupation and influence , which was displaced towa Syrian refugees . The Lebanese economy was impacted by the regional situation and tension , which also led to the increase of unemployment and poverty . Thus , creating more sectarian divide and resentment towards the refugees , which were seen as getting unlimited aid and taking Lebanese jobs . The Sectarian system and political elite has been threatened by secular civil society movements , which led to the increase of the sectarian and xenophobic rhetoric and The international community preferred to fund initiatives to support the refugees in Lebanon , Turkey , and Jordan , while restricting their movement to Europe and other neighboring and western countries . Table above shows a bulleted list of factors and demographics about Lebanon The background is a lighter blue with black font . Taking this overview and factors together , this case study will focus on a 2014 project that I ( author ) worked on , to empower Syrian and Lebanese youth , reduce prejudice and discrimination , and create a culture of dialogue , collaboration , and transformation . Community Needs In the business development process of the project proposal , no formal community needs assessments were conducted . Instead , a brief literature review of past reports , projects , and context

54 SEE CONTRIBUTORS PAGE FOR LIST OF AUTHORS ( EDITED BY PALMER , TODD ROGERS , JUDAH VIOLA , AND ) were conducted to better understand the situation and needs . In addition , the proposal was developed in collaboration with local partners . We found that youth and young adults in Lebanon have been facing a high level of unemployment . Thus we determined there was a need for capacity development to support prospective job seeking . In addition , we identified a growing market for the entertainment field with little to no opportunities to further develop certain skills . Importantly , there was a rise of tension , prejudice , and discrimination , as mentioned above . As a result , the project team , through local partners , reached out to youth and young adults between the age of 15 to 25 , from multiple backgrounds ( nationality Lebanese , Syrian , Palestinian Religion Muslim , Christian , and economic class ) With these factors in mind , the project was then designed to ( empower youth and adults , develop skills that can be used in future careers , reduce tension in certain areas , reduce prejudice towards Syrian and Palestinian refugees , and ( develop professional , interpersonal and collaborative relations between participants and their communities . Empower youth and young adults Develop skills that can be used in their prospective professional career in arts and entertainment ( acting , drawing , instruments ) Reduce tension in certain areas 02 Reduce prejudice towards Syrian and Palestinian refugees Develop professional , interpersonal and collaborative relations between the participants ( directly ) and their communities ( indirectly ) Some of the participants had previous experience with the designated arts ( acting , drawing , instruments ) while others had interest but never had the opportunity to be exposed to them . The project hired Lebanese , Syrian , and Palestinian artists to mentor the participants . The project also asked some of the more experienced participants ( active volunteers in local organizations and those with experience in the arts ) to act as peer mentors .

CASE IN A GLOBAL LENS 55 Collaborative Partners Figure ARABIC . Map of Lebanon Two red stars pointing to the areas of the project implementation ( orange and South yellow ) Source . Maps The project team included a project coordinator , a project associate , and a monitoring and evaluation coordinator from the lead partner , as well as , the coaches and the implementing partners teams . We worked with two main local partners that were well established in the South and the areas . Their relationship with the communities allowed us to better understand the local context and needs , reach out to Syrian and Lebanese youth and their parents , and recruit interested participants . The partners were part of the strategy team and were also responsible for the local implementation , support , and with community members , and logistics . The coaches and the came from Lebanese , Syrian , and Palestinian backgrounds and were responsible for teaching and participants in the four entertainment skills acting , drawing , filming , playing instruments . Description of the Project With the foundation in place , the project was set to begin . The following discussion describes the components of the project The Summer Camp Participants were invited to a summer camp in each of the two areas . On the first day , the participants went through orientation and were matched with youth from different communities , and then were assigned separate tents . The sessions began the next day , and 100 of the participants went to all art sessions to explore and decide which to focus on . The sessions had a theoretical and practical aspect . Figure below shows the model used for the summer camp .

56 SEE CONTRIBUTORS PAGE FOR LIST OF AUTHORS ( EDITED BY PALMER , TODD ROGERS , JUDAH VIOLA , AND ) Figure Summer Camp Model In Inn . up ' Model of summer camp components shown a cyclical process to the summer camp in the center Components included Music , and Acting Theater . The participants also went through several sessions that focused on social capital and transformation . They were exposed to activities related to the topics , and then had a chance to discuss and on these issues , while linking them to their life experiences , which included narratives on Identity and Perception and Perspective shown below Identity Reflections and discussions included The complexity of identity and its nature . The fluidity of identity and the inherited acquired aspects of it . The commonality of identity with those we view as the other the indifference that we might experience with those closest to us . A table above the three points on the and content discussed the summer camp Table header dark blue with white font

CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE A GLOBAL LENS 57 Perception and Perspective Activities to further explore this topic , and build on the reflections from Identity included We reflected and discussed what it means to be a leader , in relation to the Leadership other , to our communities , and to the self , We also further discussed what are the ideal characteristics of a leader . We reflected and discussed positions interests needs , dignity , empathy , active listening , and practiced conflict transformation . Conflict transformation and common ground approach A table above contains the three on the perceptions arid perspectives of the participants in the summer camp . Table header is dark blue with white The project team also provided individual support with a relational needs . The participants shared things related to their struggles as refugees , family , relationships , life , as well as to issues that arose because of the camp . We also made sure to address every that arose during the camp and had sessions with the individuals or groups that were involved in them . At the end of the day , the team also conducted debrief sessions for the participants and the project team ( organizers coaches ) to reflect and assess the day and discuss possible changes . After the Camp A similar model was implemented the remainder of the year , where participants met regularly and continued their sessions while collaborating together to develop their art and content . After the year ended , they presented their work to their communities . The following year , new participants were recruited , while some of the previous ones were asked to be peer mentors for the incoming ones . Meanwhile , the project included a monitoring and evaluation aspect that recorded all the progress of the participants , activities , and impact . Outcomes and Impacts We began seeing signs of possible reduced prejudice by the end of camp . This assumption was determined from the following observation

58 SEE CONTRIBUTORS PAGE FOR LIST OF AUTHORS ( EDITED BY PALMER , TODD ROGERS , JUDAH VIOLA , AND ) 95 During the first two days of the camp , the participants had avoided hanging or socializing with people outside of their . If We began seeing a shift on the third day , where people from different backgrounds ( nationality and class ) began spending time with each other . By the end of the camp several youth had plans together outside of the project context . End of Camp Figure above show outcomes and impact by the use of small images depicting people The participants continued building their relationships throughout the year , where they continued meeting regularly for the sessions and collaborating . They also continued meeting outside of the project context , even after it ended . The information about ongoing relationships is based on their social media accounts , as many followed the project team and stayed in touch . This is significant to us because many youths initially reported not having any friends or romantic relationships outside of their background . Some of the participants today still collaborate on art and entertainment projects , while others took an NGO and civil society path . The participants have been actively involved with issues related to social justice , human rights , and and gender equality campaigns . Little impact was noticed within local communities or nationally . During the events held at the end of the project , some of the participants family members stated that their views changed due to their children relationships with others . However , no or has been made for clearer results . In fact , in the following years , sectarian and xenophobic rhetoric increased , likely due to multiple reasons . At the time of this case story , we do not have the data at hand that sheds light on the reasons . However , as shared in the Lessons Learned and Recommendations section , moving forward , a summative evaluation on changes should , if possible , be included in the program design .

CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE A GLOBAL LENS 59 Lessons Learned and Recommendations The programmatic components of the project had some observed successes with the youth . The process allowed the participants to feel heard and be open to the experiences of others . Meanwhile , they were guided through the process and given tools to explore their realities and . emotional seems the project being . Through the reflection , the youth discussed topics related to their a good Job personal , and systematic struggles changes , and possible ways to overcome them and collaborate . This process was extremely however to no important to provide the With some tools to further explore their perspectives , build relations with the other , and seek local alternative options communities or nationally . Importantly , it must be noted the project did not apply a lens , especially when it came to policy and systematic change , and power dynamics . Rather , the project mainly focused on discrimination prevention and reduction , and cohesive living through interpersonal relationship building ( transformation ) skills . This approach comes with the assumption that if the right tools are given to individuals and community members , they do learn to transform and collaborate to achieve common interests . That perspective might work if ideal conditions are in place , however , unfortunately , there are too many factors at play that hinder such ideals . That was seen on several occasions in Lebanon . The NGO I ( worked with had several projects running simultaneously , some worked with the community as a whole and municipalities , while others focused on youth , women , police , or refugees . We began seeing more leniency and openness towards Syrian refugees and collaboration with some of the communities we were working with . However , the sectarian and xenophobic rhetoric rose again due to the situation in the country and the region . This was especially seen with the rise of unemployment , decreased sense of security , and during political and economic crises . Further , with the recent rise of social justice movements and revolution threatening the sectarian political elite and system , the bigoted and rhetoric has become more of a norm . Thus , working in the field came with limitations due to realities outside of the project teams control . However , programming and organizational structure and process could be accommodated to better meet the needs of the communities , despite these circumstances . Creating alternative and preventative settings needs planning and and dimensional collaborations . However , this is extremely challenging to do with the structure of industrial and the current systems in place . Challenges include ( limited grants for projects , difficulty in conducting need and asset assessments , and ( not having the appropriate systems in place .

60 SEE CONTRIBUTORS PAGE FOR LIST OF AUTHORS ( EDITED BY PALMER , TODD ROGERS , JUDAH , AND ) projects often come in a pilot format and are rarely funded for more than one year . This makes it difficult to conduct need and asset assessments to plan for programing and impact . This points to not having the appropriate systems in place to conduct evaluations . Image highlights the three challenges above Additionally , it leaves in a constant cycle of seeking and applying for funding , which takes up much of their focus . At the same time , this forces the organizations in adapting and adjusting their program objectives and proposals to attract and increase their likelihood of receiving grants . In addition , the bureaucratic structure of often forces program teams to focus on administrational tasks and reporting , leaving less time to focus on the programs and communities needs . The overall budget and duration of the Better Together project helped some with implementation and allowed for more support . The project team included a project coordinator , a project associate , and a monitoring and evaluation coordinator from the lead partner , as well as , the coaches and the implementing partners teams . However , their capacity was spread thin , due to most people working on several other projects at the same time . Furthermore , there were Challenges with the partnership distribution of tasks and communication , which created several obstacles along the way . Thus , more relationship building , clearer tasks , and resolution processes are needed to be further developed and agreed on prior to the project . Moreover , grants often come with predetermined objectives , agendas , or restrictions that better meet the interests of the international donors ( governmental agencies , foundations ) The donor determines where and whom to work with or exclude and the structure and limitations of the program . Consequently , this restricts freedom for truly meeting the communities needs , sincerely taking into consideration local knowledge and lived experience , and is a form of imposing ( on the country which creates a vicious cycle . For example , for much of the duration of the war , European and donors rarely diplomatically attempted or funded peace initiatives in Syria , due to their opposition to the Assad Syrian regime and the complexity of the . Rather , they focused their funding relief programs in host countries , such as Lebanon , Turkey , and Jordan . This funding later included more social cohesion and international development programs , as the war continued for years . Looking deeper into the context , the situation in Syria and the region was caused by multiple factors , from foreign interference ( geopolitics ) to internal injustice , and water drought ( climate change ) Similarly , regional instability can be traced to the involvement of the and allies in the middle east long before the current Syria . Their actions facilitated the creation of many extremist groups such as ISIS , which prolonged the Syria . The same regime that the and allies oppose today ,

CASE STUDIES IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICE A GLOBAL LENS was endorsed to occupy Lebanon in the early because the regime supported their efforts against Saddam Hussein during the first gulf war . The Syrian Regime , in turn , used intelligence , brutal force , and collaboration overseeing Lebanese public government to control and oppress the people . This dynamic also created more division ( and more corruption in the country . Thus , much of the Lebanese were traumatized by a sectarian civil war , two occupations , and a corrupt system that did not allow the country to sustainably grow . In turn that trauma and anger were displaced toward the other and those most vulnerable , other sectarian groups and Syrian refugees . Thus , the donors and countries that are trying to support and fund international development , are the same ones that had a hand in creating the current conditions that led to and division in the region . When we discuss issues surrounding social justice and community psychology we should include geopolitics , and global power dynamics . in the Middle East takes multiple forms . Sometimes it looks , while other times it takes the face of regional powers ( Iran , Egypt , Israel , Saudi Arabia ) Other times it takes an ideological form ( religion , communism , capitalism ) This cycle often creates more local divisions and injustices . The reason this narrative regarding historical context is included is that to better support and collaborate with communities , we need to understand their context , history , struggles , and needs . While on the project in this case study , we barely had the chance to do so and that seems to be indicative of most . Although the funding is needed to support is nate those lacking resources and the means to support each other , the funding often acts as a a a rather than a transformative solution . international development Other recommendations include . thinking through how to design and implement often Serve the preventative programming , along with the in creation Of NGO structures that include multidimensional community and programming . This programming should include process and aspects , as well as policy and systemic advocacy and change , in addition to communication and outreach aspects . This would include , human rights and social justice , education , investing in local economies , and local and regional stability initiatives . It is also important to monitor and evaluate these efforts before , during , and after their implementation for learning opportunities . Looking Forward ( decided to move away from the NGO and nonprofit field for the time being . I am continuing my higher education earning my in Community Psychology . My applied research interests focus on social movements , power dynamics , social transformation , and . I will be working in communities in Lebanon and North America , with a , and approach . Conclusion Community psychology practice is integrated into four levels in this case study . The objective of

62 SEE CONTRIBUTORS PAGE FOR LIST OF AUTHORS ( EDITED BY PALMER , TODD ROGERS , JUDAH VIOLA , AND ) the project was to create alternative and preventive settings that would reduce discrimination and prejudice , and develop collaborative living and transformation . The project used a based relational approach , which was important to begin the conversation and develop the relationships for collaboration . Lastly , the program exposed participants to new perspectives , many of whom sought roles and activism opportunities related to social justice , gender equality , rights , as well as entertainment and arts . However , it was important that the project did not include a policy , systemic , and approach . If included , this could have created tension with the local or national government , according to the NGO perspective . In addition , the project raised the teams awareness of local , but not international power dynamics or the structure of the nonprofit field . Therefore , this case study highlights the impact and the need for critical applied research of the impact and structure of , funders , geopolitics , and systemic change . From Theory to Practice Reflections and Questions The case study shared that the summer camp participants engaged in training sessions covering the topics of social capital and conflict transformation ( 2021 ) What does social capital mean for you and how would you cultivate it ?

Why does funding that or organizations in the , receive sometimes create a approach versus accomplishing true individual , family or community healing and change ?

Consider what , if anything , you would have done differently when trying to support the reduction of conflict , tension , and highly prejudice bigotry in the context of the Lebanese refugee community ?

If you would have done something different , what resources would be needed to make that happen ?

ill An approach that is based on the premise that everyone has relational needs ( acceptance , approval , affection , appreciation , attention , respect , security , comfort , support , encouragement ) Those needs can only be met by having an interdependent community , and with the golden rule of treating others as they like to be treated . Link hi is ' Pettigrew , 1998 ) contact theory . Annual Review of Psychology , 49 , mus El Lebanon has a confessional democratic system that represents the religious groups in the country . The situation has often created power dynamics and alliances that have been used by geopolitical powers for their benefit . Traditionally the Muslims have been the main power in the Middle East for centuries , with , Christians , and other minority groups being treated as second class . The situation changed with the creation of Lebanon , moving the leadership to the Christian , which created tension between them and the and , which traditionally ruled the Lebanon region , and eventually led to the 1975 civil war . The Ta if Agreement ended the civil war , by redistributing power which allowed the rise to the and leadership , and weakening the leadership and role in the government . The leadership was supported by Saudi Arabia ( and the US , while the leadership was

CASE IN A GLOBAL LENS 63 supported by Syria Assad regime ( Muslim ) and Iran ( Thus , this situation created more rivalry and division .