Volunteer Advocacy folder

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.