Keystone Global Vision
Supporting Beslan in the Aftermath
of the School Siege
In the days following the tragic school siege in Beslan, many people and organizations extended their sympathy and support to the people of Beslan as they coped in the wake of immense tragedy. Drawing on our experience in postvention services – support provided for the bereaved after a death or suicide – and post-traumatic stress intervention, Keystone was able to provide specialized advice and training to support the people of Beslan in the aftermath of the school massacre.
Research and experience have established that effective intervention can minimize the long-term impact of traumatic events. As trauma management specialists, Keystone's Student Assistance Program (SAP) team members provide support and consultation to school professionals, students and family members during crisis situations such as sudden or violent deaths, as well as other crises or trauma that destabilize schools and communities. Through sponsorship from a partner organization, the Association of Experts on the Problems of Children, Keystone was able to dispatch experienced mental health professionals to train and assist the exhausted Russian support staff in October 2004.
Unfortunately, our world is riddled with assaults of innocence like the massacre in Beslan. The immediacy of current challenges tends to drag wearied eyes from the victims of less recent tragedies. After the immediacy of a tragedy has passed, however, the need for support does not diminish; it changes. In spite of more recent needs, our commitment to the children and families of Beslan has remained strong. The situation in Beslan inevitably drains the emotional and financial resources of the community, and we pledge to continue our support.
Leave this site and go to a new site
Open a new window on top of the current window
Open an Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) file in the current window