3. HOLISTIC REHABILITATION: Service provision and practice The development of rehabilitation services for torture survivors has been shaped by developments in medicine, psychology and in related health and social care fields. This experience has been emboldened on the basis of rehabilitation responses across a wide range of contexts including with survivors of torture from genocides, repressive regimes, armed conflict and concentration camps. Experience working with the specific and diverse needs of torture survivors in differing country contexts, combined with professional theoretical preferences, informed different conceptualisations of rehabilitation, and different approaches to rehabilitation service delivery, the IRCT advocates that rehabilitation should be:        Holistic Available, appropriate, accessible Provided in a way that guarantees the safety and personal integrity of the victims, their family and their caretakers Provided at the earliest possible point in time after the torture event Provided without a requirement for the victim to pursue judicial remedies, but solely based on recommendations by a qualified health professional Provided in close consultation with the victim and tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual victim Adequately funded by national governments. For further reference see: http://www.irct.org/what-is-torture/rehabilitation.aspx 3.1 Reaching out to your awareness-building community and community An important component of rehabilitation services is working with communities affected by torture in addition to the individuals who were tortured. The types and levels of interventions may vary according to local context, need and safety. The interventions may range from awareness-raising events - in collaboration with communities, schools, community leaders etc. - to interventions aimed at facilitating support and resources within the community, through to facilitating healing by the use of story-telling, testimony and narrative approaches to explore collective memories using art, drama, literature, film and music. Working with local communities      Understand who your local communities are, their context (e.g. economic, political, cultural, religious) and their needs Identify communities you wish to engage in awareness-building – where there is already knowledge, experience of and commitment to combatting torture and ill treatment Identify communities and groups within those communities you wish to target Build relationships with communities you wish to engage and to target – this takes time, effort and creativity Try to bring together and work with individuals who may be important allies in awareness-raising, and who have some influence in the communities you wish to work with 12