You will:

• Recognize and distinguish between objective living conditions, subjective life world, and life coping skills of socially marginalized people.

• Create an awareness of different social, economic, and legal environments in other countries and, therefore, be able to indicate similarities and differences.

• Explain and exemplify the complexity of substance use and addiction/dependence.

• Identify the different forms of sex work and regulations of sex work.

• Distinguish between the terms resilience, capability, and vulnerability.

• Recognize categories and labels on marginalized people and explain them from an intersectional perspective.

• Describe the life circumstances of marginalized sex workers and differentiate between self-determined sex work and exploitation/ sex trafficking.

• Explain the concept of harm reduction and judge its strengths and weaknesses.

• Evaluate several harm reduction measures and explore the advantages and disadvantages of different harm reduction approaches.

• Adapt to the client's capabilities and enable them to get a quick win.

• Differentiate your priorities from your clients and analyze the different interests of different stakeholders.

• Exemplify the principles of empowerment and explore skills and competencies needed to provide empowering services.

• Engage yourself with the values and attitudes that you will need to work in harm reduction services

Week 1: Introduction and First Steps

Take the opportunity to meet your instructors, our addresses, and your fellow participants. Dive into the topic of an «Ordinary World of Marginalized People» and take a closer look at the lives of our experts by experience.

Week 2: Understanding Substance Use and Sex Work

Uncover why, for what, and how people use psychoactive substances. Distinguish between self-regulated consumption and dependence. Look at different forms of regulation for sex work and different forms of sex work and your role as a social or health care worker.

Week 3: Obstacles and Stigmas

Learn and respect marginalized people's perspectives and analyze the dynamics between living conditions and coping actions. Learn about the discrimination of marginalized people and its effect on their life and well-being.

Week 4: Crossing the Threshold 1

Learn about the different harm reduction services for sex workers in Switzerland and discover that social work in the field of sex work is a complex profession that requires a wide variety of skills. Get to know the Harm Reduction concept and judge its strengths and weaknesses.

Week 5: Crossing the Threshold 2

Get insight into several harm reduction facilities for substance users in Switzerland and discuss their principles and functioning. Reflect on how working in harm reduction services means adapting to the client's capabilities, not overstraining or underrating them.

Week 6: Challenges

Set and justify priorities for harm reduction services that align with your clients' needs. Analyze the different interests of different stakeholders. Manage your skills and emotions and develop an empowering attitude.

Week 7: What if we all were a Team?

Talk about values and attitudes and check your principles. Reflect on your overall progress and knowledge gained, and conclude the course by formulating a vision for a better world.

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