A group of students organized a workshop on Tuesday, May 30th, 2023, at the German Jordanian University (GJU) titled “Addressing the Psychosocial Needs of Students at Universities.” It targeted academics and key individuals in direct contact with the students at GJU. The workshop’s guest speakers included Psychologist Ms. Rania Atalla, who discussed the topic of emotions and how they affect students’ behavior inside and outside the classroom. Ms. Atalla also analyzed the emotions of anger, fear, and sadness, including how they manifest mentally as well as physically, and how to manage them. Furthermore, she introduced principles of self-care for students and faculty members.
The workshop also hosted Social Worker Sergeant Ghada Al-Zoubi and Psychologist Lieutenant Musab Al-Adwan, from the Anti-narcotics Department/Addiction Treatment Center in Amman. They tackled the issue of addiction in the Jordanian community, explaining the types, causes, and consequences of addiction. They also presented the role of social workers within the field of addiction, in addition to the signs and symptoms that help in the detection of addicts and the appropriate steps to take to direct them empathetically and safely towards treatment.
The speakers highlighted the importance of addressing the psychosocial needs of university students. They also raised academics’ awareness of having social workers at universities to link students with psychosocial needs with resources available at the university and the community through interdisciplinary teamwork. The workshop was well received with positive feedback from participants. It is part of an ongoing effort to create a healthier, safer, and more productive teaching and learning environment at GJU.
The workshop was held as part of a collaboration project between the Social Work Department at GJU and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) entitled “Developing Interdisciplinary Perspective in Healthcare and Community Network Skills: The Case of German Jordanian University from Social Work Lenses.” The project is carried out by 5 MA students studying Social Work/Migration and Refugees: Sara Al-Mousa, Noor Bazlamit, Nada Habahbeh, Tala Jallad, and Noor Jarrar with the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sahar AlMakhamreh. The project is also done in partnership with Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences in Germany, University of Applied Science Neubrandenburg in Germany, Al-Balqa Applied University-Princess Rahma University College in Jordan, and An-Najah University in Palestine. This collaboration aims to develop social work students' professional skills and field training experience, in addition to creating standard operating procedures to manage intervention with students who require psychosocial support at universities.