The Way Home Project
Support and service guidance to individuals who have participated in armed conflicts and their families. Training, consultation and supervision for professionals.
The Way Home Project
The project strengthens the wellbeing, health, and social inclusion of those traumatised in military operations and their close ones. We provide services nationwide and can arrange meetings in-person or remotely. Participation is voluntary and free of charge.
Support and guidance
Experiences of war can have an impact on daily living, resilience and social relationships. War can cause symptoms of psychological trauma, such as avoidance, difficulties with concentration, insomnia and nightmares, as well as changes in mood. Physical health and functioning can also be affected. Help is available for those facing these difficulties.
What do we offer?
- We provide confidential, person-centred support based on individual needs and service guidance for those who have experienced war.
- We offer information about available services and, if needed, support people to access appropriate services within their local area.
- We assist with practical matters, support adjustment to everyday life, and strengthen the sense of agency.
Worrying about a family member participating in war or after homecoming can have an impact on the well-being of the entire family and other close ones; therefore, support is often needed for the whole family and close community. Ongoing support is especially important for those whose close one has died in combat, has been injured, or imprisoned.
- We support families during departure, absence, and after homecoming, as well as in potential crisis situations.
- We organise individual- and group meetings for family members, recognising the importance of peer support in strengthening wellbeing.
Contact us
Please contact us if you feel that we can be of assistance to you, your close one, or your client. You can reach us by email at tiekotiin@hdl.fi or by calling or messaging at +358 50 308 8541.
The Way Home Project Team
Lotta Carlsson
Project Manager
lotta.carlsson@hdl.fi
+358 505781345
Maria Hannula
Project Worker
maria.hannula@hdl.fi
+358 503088541
Raakel Tasanen
Service Coordinator
raakel.tasanen@hdl.fi
+358 504409831
Professionals
The goal of the Way Home Project is to prevent violent radicalisation among individuals traumatised in military operations by developing multidisciplinary support and service guidance on a national level.
Our services for professionals
- We provide training to develop skills in recognising, supporting, and guiding individuals traumatised by war and who are at a risk of radicalisation.
- We offer consultation to authorities and other professionals regarding general preparedness, as well as the implementation of best practices and insights.
- We develop shared models and practices for professionals from various backgrounds.
- We provide reliable and up-to-date information about timely and effective care and support for individuals traumatised by war.
We engage in national and international network collaboration with experts working in the fields of war-related trauma and violent radicalisation.
The development project carried out at the Centre for Psychotraumatology receives support from the EU
Armed conflicts have increased the need for information, support, and rehabilitation among those returning from combat zones also in Finland. There is a recognised need to pay more attention to the reasons for joining an armed conflict as well as to the traumatic experiences of those involved in military operations and their close ones.
Traumatic experiences and the conditions of war, experiences of possible inhumane treatment, and contacts with other individuals at risk of radicalisation, or already radicalised, can become risk factors for the emergence of violent thoughts, attitudes, or actions.
Multidisciplinary support and care for individuals suffering from symptoms of trauma and who are at risk of radicalisation require even stronger collaboration between authorities, social and health services, and third-sector actors. It is therefore important to create a shared understanding across the entire field of professionals on how to support individuals who may be at risk of radicalisation upon returning from war.
The development work is carried out between 2025 – 2028 and is supported by the European Union. It is based on the the Way Home model originally developed by Sodan kokeneet ry, which includes an assessment and support of mental resilience before deployment, during service, and after homecoming. The model will be further developed so that it can be applied by different organisations to support those traumatised by military operations.