Choices@AZC
Monday 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Amsterdam and Heerhugowaard AZCs
Wednesday 17.00 - 20:30 Almere and Rotterdam AZCs
We alternate going to each location every other week.
"At Choices, we understand the need toget immediate help from people who understand what you' re going through. Choices@AZC is here to helpyou inyour own language. Our team of LGBTQ+ psychologists and volunteers speak Arabic, English, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Turkish, Russian andUkrainian."
Choices brings psychological first aid directly to LGBTQ+ residents in the AZC. Psychological first aid is essentially counseling from compassion. It primarily addresses emotional and practical needs and concerns. An important goal of psychological first aid is to build people's ability to recover. Together with our psychologist, we determine what the immediate needs are, what the person's strengths are, and what the options are for meeting these needs. Once this is done, the person can develop a personalized care plan with the psychologist according to their own goals and needs.
Choices on-site prevention counseling in the AZC helps LGBTQ+ residents with trauma, depression, PTSD and/or anxiety disorders to remain stable in the AZC during the long and uncertain asylum process. Our clients are exposed to racism, threats of physical violence, rape, harassment and are sometimes transferred to different asylum centers without prior notice.
The uncertainty of the asylum procedure and the long wait exacerbates their mental state, traumas, fears and instability, which creates further difficulties in coping and safely integrating into Dutch society and the queer community here. Many turn to dating apps and sexual activities accompanied by drug use as a means to become socially accepted and part of the queer community.
We stabilize our clients with ongoing counseling, psycho-education, social gatherings and a toll-free telephone helpline. With our help, we aim to prevent our clients from developing addiction, sexual infection, or an increase or escalation of their mental health problems.
Our psychological first aid includes:
Sign up using the form below
Sign up here for our group or individual sessions at our office or online. Registration is without obligation and FREE.
After registering to join our groups, you will receive a confirmation email. Once you have registered to attend the online groups you will receive a zoom meeting link in your confirmation email.
Please note that due to COVID-19 regulations, the groups at our office have a limited capacity of 5 people so that the 1.5m social distacing is ensured. Once 5 people have signed up, subsequent registrants will receive a zoom meeting link in order to participate online.
However, we will do everything we can to accommodate everyone. For questions you can always call or email us.
As a community centre, we value the suggestions and information provided by members of our community. This allows us to continue to develop and improve our services. Would you like to become a volunteer or member of our community advisory committee? If so, please contact us.