As a psychologist and human rights activist, entering the field of psychology motivated me to become aware of all the possible roles psychologists can have into one society - from providing individualized help to serving disadvantaged communities. Becoming knowledgeable about the political and social climate which contributes to the negative experiences of different marginalized communities in my country, I have started questioning the purpose of my future occupation in the pool of professional opportunities. My decision to volunteer and study abroad in more developed countries, while observing the human rights context in different places triggered my professional curiosity about the interaction between the human behavior and the need for social changes in my context. Why are some citizens treated differently than others in my country? What minority populations are mostly socially, legally and systematically excluded and why? What are the social factors that are associated with feeling the LGBTI+ minority status? How can we improve the mental health system in order to advance not only individual but societal well-being?
I have realized that my role as a psychologist will expand beyond the individual-based support and will attempt to find answers by examining the laws, scientific findings, governmental policies and civil society organizations' (CSOs) actions as related to specific minority communities. In the perplexing process of obtaining these insights, I developed a profound understanding of the persistent discrimination, inequalities, and human rights violations towards sexual and gender minorities (SGM) as one of the most socially excluded community in Macedonia. Why, despite the vast political LGBTI+ rights advancements globally, is this community still exempted from feeling the LGBTI+ rights progress in my country?
Recognizing that the research data and the unequal treatments in prominent life areas are a structural issue, defined my career orientation - to be a changemaker while helping the SGM by creating meaningful community actions. By managing to collaborate closely with SGM rights-focused organizations, relevant institutions and mental health centers in Macedonia and abroad, I learned the core community needs, legal gaps, and CSOs advocacy efforts. Working in an SGM-based organization for almost two years with the opportunity to conduct community-based research and coordinate capacity building project made me understand the intersectional and contextual nature of the SGM rights and mental health issues. This work experience has been a career and life breakthrough for me - it improved my research abilities and enhanced my sensibility about the political, social and health conditions, and their relation to the challenges faced by SGM.
Booker T. Washington wrote: “You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you have to overcome to reach your goals.” As a result of my successful engagements in researching and advocating for SGM equality through overcoming structural barriers, I determined my long-term objective for accomplishment in life - to improve the lives of the system-invisible communities through conducting community-based research activities and constructing evidence-based policies.
Therefore, I my intention to join YouthLead is my next step in following my desires for creating the social changes. Firstly, I strive to learn adequate research methods in order to address mental health needs as related to minority identities (SGM, Roma citizens) and experiences of social exclusion; identify the micro- and macro-level social factors, starting from laws, national policies, attitudes and values that lead to the mental health outcomes for these minorities; and aim to understand how the social structures and the political context contribute to the lives of the minorities. Following the research efforts, I would be oriented towards advocacy for protecting the community mental health of all citizens, invent solutions on how mental health interventions can be created, and discover approaches for establishing partnerships with relevant actors operating in the mental health field - government authorities, human rights-focused CSOs, mental health professionals and academia in order to implement sustainable reforms. Secondly, I intend to assess SOGI based violence (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity), minority stressors and patterns of victimization in various settings; analyze the process of introducing social changes in a minority-hostile context; explore the current services of the SGM-serving CSOs, and state institutions and their alignment with minorities' needs. Resulting from the research findings, I would tend to initiate innovative prevention models which incorporate research and action, propose national policies for responding to and preventing violence, and build the capacities of the CSOs through providing expertise to meet the needs of minorities they are serving. Finally, I plan to continue my education for pursuing a Ph.D. degree in this field, introduce community psychology as an educational course or study field at universities in my context, mainstream community mental health and minority issues within the academic circles, and organize an extracurricular University program for students' participation in civil society actions.
Therefore, if I possess the appropriate amount of knowledge to encourage data-driven and collaborative policy-making for the minorities, I will be thrilled to guide the abovementioned activities within the government and public health sector. I believe that these activities are going to generate systematic solutions to the convoluted minorities' problems which arise on a national level - embedding mental health services into the public health system, advancing the quality of the psychosocial support services for all citizens with special emphasis on vulnerable populations, and enhancing the community well-being as a whole. Tackling the intersectionality of the mental health and minorities' issues requires scientific and leadership competence, as well as consideration of different perspectives of the problem - psychological, social, and political. Hence, living in a time and place where minorities' rights are not adequately respected, the mental health-related laws and policies are not non-existent or are exclusive, and the CSO's activism is not well-organized, strikes me to examine thorough strategies for approaching these problems. Having the opportunity to pinpoint and resolve the mental health disparities on a governmental level is one collective accomplishment that overlaps with my concept of personal accomplishment - acting upon the voice of the disempowered.