The term ‘civilian veterans’ was coined to represent an extremely diverse group of internationals who have been, or still are, professionally active in areas of armed conflict and various emergencies around the world.
Think of doctors, engineers, lawyers, journalists, administrative staff, but also police officers, contractors, security personnel.
Though there exist many similarities, a poignant difference between the mission experience of civilians and that of military personnel is that civilians are usually deployed as single individuals, not as a group or national contingent.
Thus, once their contract is finished, many civilians return home alone, often without any form of debrief or specialized aftercare.
To make matters worse, the old stigma associated with mental dysfunction is alive and well in the type of organisational culture that dominates international fieldwork.
When the initial excitement and joy of reunion with family and old friends has worn off, the sensation of loss – of identity, community, direction - can become quite overwhelming.
What Paradiso Perduto offers to this group is a sense of belonging, a safe haven amongst others with the same experiences.
