# Global mental health: training volunteers to serve the mental health needs of a diverse faith community - URL: https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/so378 - Language: en - Last updated: not specified - Page title: Global mental health: training volunteers to serve the mental health needs of a diverse faith community | WCP 2026 Summary > Through a culturally adapted, community-led training model, more than 15,000 volunteers in a faith community spanning 35 countries have been trained to provide… This page was translated automatically from Turkish. [Read the original](https://alisanburak.com/wcp-2026-posterler/so378) This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it. SO378 Brief Oral Poster PresentationMigration and Transcultural PsychiatryProgram description # Global mental health: training volunteers to serve the mental health needs of a diverse faith community GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH: TRAINING VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF A DIVERSE FAITH COMMUNITY Presenter: Azaad Kassam Country: Canada Institution: University of Ottawa Session: 3930 - PARALLEL SHORT ORAL POSTER SESSIONS: TRANSCULTURAL & MIGRATION - Part IV Date: Fri, 25.09.2026 Through a culturally adapted, community-led training model, more than 15,000 volunteers in a faith community spanning 35 countries have been trained to provide basic mental health support. The aim is to describe the development, implementation, and reach of a culturally sensitive mental health training program for community volunteers. The program serves a culturally diverse Ismaili Muslim community of 13 million people across 35 countries and was implemented with 73 community mental health leaders. The method consists of a six-step, community-led partnership process: building trust; listening to and understanding local cultural, spiritual, and linguistic realities; sharing knowledge and validating needs jointly with the community; co-developing training and referral strategies; implementation and ongoing support; and reassessment through feedback. The approach considered the social determinants of health, stigma, strengthening resilience, specific groups such as young people, older adults, and migrants, and support for local care pathways, prioritizing the local context while avoiding hegemonic approaches. The training content comprised modules on mental health first aid, social and cultural aspects of mental health, trauma, migration and poverty, teaching practices, and signposting and referral; identified training needs included youth mental health, loneliness and isolation, migration and displacement, faith and culture, and social determinants. The global mental health course was delivered face to face to mental health workers from South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, and North America; since the project began, more than 15,000 volunteers have been trained, with training delivered in 12 languages. Following the course, ongoing engagement, continuing education, a resource library, webinars, and consultation support were provided; evaluation focused on knowledge gains, referral practices, and community outcomes. In conclusion, this model, grounded in collaboration, cultural safety, humility, pluralism, trauma-informed care, contextual sensitivity, and sustainability, is reported to enable the large-scale delivery of mental health training across diverse settings. [View the original poster](https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/wcp26/attendee/eposter/file/1311) How to cite this study APA 7: Kassam, A., et al. (2026, September 25). Global mental health: training volunteers to serve the mental health needs of a diverse faith community [Poster presentation]. 26th WPA World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP 2026), Stockholm, Sweden. https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/wcp26/attendee/eposter/file/1311 Vancouver: Kassam A, et al. Global mental health: training volunteers to serve the mental health needs of a diverse faith community [poster]. 26th WPA World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP 2026); 2026 Sep 23-26; Stockholm, Sweden. 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