Jerome Grimaud / IFRC
Leslie Otte Greibst / Danish Red Cross
A Toolkit to help you help volunteers The IFRC PS Reference Centre is preparing a small toolkit about psychosocial support to volunteers in emergencies. This will complement the more general and new manual about volunteers in emergencies issued by the IFRC.
• Psychosocial Support guideline template
• Micro-support on the spot
• How to develop contingency plans
• Supervisions and rituals and acknowledgements
• How to set up referral systems
• Hand-out for volunteers
• How and when to include work of professionals
• Stigma
• Recruiting and screening mechanisms
• Cultural adaption
• Explanation of rotation principles
‘‘...Remember that even small measures can have a big impact’’
• Psychological first aid
The toolkit will also contain examples from around the world.
• Peer support – and regular follow-up-training
The Toolkit will be available in late 2011/early 2012
Talia Frenkel / American Red Cross
The forthcoming toolkit is a practical resource which will include tools on:
through the IFRC Psychosocial Reference Centre:
Who is this information for?
IFRC Psychosocial Reference Centre This information is for National Society staff and volunteers at all levels. According to the PS Reference Centre report (2009), a number of National Societies
• Volunteer line managers and emergency response team leaders Because they know the volunteers and what they
stated that even where psychosocial support strate-
are exposed to first-hand. They are in the position to
gies and guidelines were in place, not all volunteers
develop practical, simple approaches for individual
and staff were aware of them or knew how to access
and team care relevant for volunteers. Their under-
support when they wanted it. In order to help volun-
standing and acceptance of psychosocial well-being
teers access available care, ensure that everyone is
is both useful and powerful in helping volunteers
informed.
overcome fear or stigma in seeking support.
• Senior managers of National Societies
• Volunteers, as individuals and teams
As they can help to integrate volunteer psychosocial
In order to be effective and equally responsible
support into policies, procedures and the culture of
in taking care of themselves, volunteers need to
the National Society. The report clearly shows that
understand the emergency environment, their role
psychosocial support for volunteers is much more
in relation to beneficiaries and their team, the risks
likely to happen and be effective if it is institutiona-
they take on, and their own strengths, limits and
lised in policies and strategies
vulnerabilities.
NEW TOOLKIT
C/o Danish Red Cross
see back page!
Blegdamsvej 27 2100 Copenhagen Ø
Support volunteers in emergencies
Denmark www.ifrc.org/psychosocial email: psychosocial.centre@ifrc.org
Hosted by
Psychosocial Centre
Eko Suhadi / Indonesian Red Cross
IFRC
SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS IN EMERGENCIES
How my National Society can support volunteers
Why this is important The role of volunteers in emergencies is in-
Additionally, as members of affected communities,
creasingly complex. The people to whom they
volunteers often work close to home and may ex-
provide care are often facing situations of de-
perience the same losses and grief as beneficiaries.
vastating loss.
In their dedication to helping others, they may put aside their own needs. They are the witnesses
vivors in the initial phases of shock and grief. In
to tragedy – bearing the stories of survivors, but
violent emergency situations, they may provide
often they also encounter serious injury or loss of
survivors with their first encounter with someone
life in their own families and massive destruction
who can understand and give a human perspec-
of their own homes and communities.
tressed people of all ages and walks of life – in-
tion and to be sustainable. Preparing, supporting
cluding children, women and the elderly – exposed
and preserving the psychosocial well-being of
to many different types of trauma. A basic first-aid
volunteer is essential to their ability to care for
course or being part of a disaster response team is
others exposed to trauma.
the risks they might face. As we can’t predict when
• are feasible for your National Society,
for the possibility of different kinds of emergencies.
• are adequate to the responsibilities and risks your
Basic information and techniques can be helpful for
volunteers face or might face, and
There is no one model of psychosocial support to
your capacities and resources. Try to integrate psy-
volunteers, and many creative examples exist among
chosocial support into training and information you
National Societies. Consider what is possible with
already provide. You may find a network of profes-
your available material and human resources, and
sionals to assist, or you may be able to build effective
ask for advice from the PS Reference Centre, IFRC
peer support networks within your team.
offices in the region or zone and from sister National
not enough to prepare volunteers for these emo-
Societies. Examples and experiences and lessons
The forthcoming toolkit (see back page) provides
learned are already there – use them.
information on minimum psychosocial support guidelines to provide the best support possible.
tional experiences.
As part of the emergency response, they also become
Often, psychosocial support for volunteers is driven
actors in the process of recovery – including psycho-
by an urgent need when disaster strikes and the im-
social recovery. For this, volunteers need skills and
pacts of working with terrible grief and loss are deeply
knowledge not only to help others, but also to help
felt by staff and volunteers alike.
themselves.
National Societies who have experienced a major
They need to know how to sustain their well-being
emergency are more likely to have psychosocial sup-
and how to care for their team members. Likewise it
port guidelines in place – but often wish they had
is important for management to understand and sup-
been there before they were urgently needed.
Thomas Berthelsen / Danish Red Cross
Thousands of volunteers are deployed to assist in emergencies almost every day around the globe. Volunteers both impact the emergency sitution, and are impacted by it, as they are exposed to trauma, loss and devastation.
social Support shows that more and more National So-
teers. This document describes why it is important to
cieties recognise the importance of formalising psycho-
support volunteers, ways you can develop and imple-
social support guidelines for volunteers in emergencies.
ment guidelines relevant to your situation, and how
National Societies in all regions are implementing
to target training and information to reach those who
strategies that include policies, written information,
need it.
training, professional and peer support, on-going and
Remember that even small measures can have a big
follow-up support. Yet, there are still many who do not
impact.
have guidelines or preparations in place.
The most effective approach is to integrate psycho-
ing on the types of trauma they encounter, these
social support into all phases of disaster response
initiatives may include regular check-ins with
- before, during and after.
individuals and teams, individual or team meetings to discuss particularly shocking experiences and
• Before (preparedness) commitment of the National Society to maintain
opportunities for peer or professional support. • After (follow-up and recovery)
the psychosocial health of volunteers. It entails
The post-emergency phase is an important time
general training, preparation and briefing for par-
for volunteers, just as recovery is important for
ticular assignments; self-awareness and skills for
survivors and beneficiaries. Often, the full impact
staying physically and psychologically healthy; and
of having assisted during an emergency is only felt
knowledge of techniques and guidelines and how
once the volunteers have time to slow down and
to access available support.
think about their experience. Opportunities for individual and team reflection – for coming to terms
Every National Society can develop and implement effective psychosocial support strategies for volun-
Before, during and after
Preparedness is fundamental and underscores the
port volunteers in emergencies. A recent report from the Reference Centre for Psycho-
volunteers working in a variety of contexts. Lastly, consider how you can make the best use of
A capable, healthy and engaged volunteer workforce is necessary for National Societies to func-
volunteers in ways that:
• make best use of capacities and resources.
tive to inhumane actions. Volunteers must also be able to assist very dis-
Consider the type of work your volunteers do and and what kind of crisis events may happen, prepare
work long hours in challenging environments and Volunteers may find themselves comforting sur-
Tailor your guidelines for psychosocial support to
‘‘... National Societies often wish they had guidelines in place before they were urgently needed’’
• During (on-going support)
with particularly traumatic experiences and what
Good working policies – such as attention to work-
they could and could not do for survivors – are
ing hours, rest time, adequate security and techni-
essential to restore psychosocial well-being. Some
cal support – help improve well-being for volun-
volunteers may need extra support for some time
teers during the rigors of emergency response. In
after the emergency ends. Providing adequate fol-
addition, specific psychosocial support initiatives
low-up support helps to maintain well-functioning
are appreciated and necessary for volunteers
and committed volunteers for future emergency
working in very difficult circumstances. Depend-
responses.