Engaging Skilled Volunteers in Disaster Response: What Works, What Doesn't?
Introduction Objective
Analyze 5 volunteer program case studies for best practices and challenges when integrating skilled volunteers into disasteraffected communities – what works, what doesn’t? Presenters
Giovanni Taylor-Peace – Habitat for Humanity International, Disaster Corps Rick Turner – Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Lindy Kirkland – The Air Care Alliance Beth Bootz – Southern Baptist Convention Kellie Bentz – Points of Light
Disaster Corps
Giovanni Taylor-Peace Manager, Disaster Response Field Operations
Disaster Corps Overview Founded in 2005 Volunteer leaders trained to work in disaster settings
while providing affiliates with field and technical support Mobilize pre-and post-disaster Projects vary, but could include:
Disaster assessment Preparedness planning Capacity building Volunteer coordination
Fundraising Logistics Community development Construction site management
Disaster Corps Purpose & Scale of Skilled Volunteers Aid affiliates in all phases of a disaster Preparing for future disasters Reducing the impact of disasters Aiding in long-term recovery Internal capacity building Recovery for small affiliates Ramping up operations
Disaster Corps What works? Small cadre of volunteers Proper training and continued education Community based development, partnerships Active listener approach Peer to peer assistance
Disaster Corps What doesn’t work? Leading without listening Everything will change – flexibility, adaptability a
must Time restrictions
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Rick Turner Associate – Disaster Hospitality
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Overview National Response Team National Volunteers Volunteer Work Teams
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Purpose & Scale of Skilled Volunteers National Response Team (90 +/-) Early Response / Assessment Emotional & Spiritual Care National Volunteers (20) Training / Specialists Hosting / Village Managers Volunteer Work Teams (1,000’s) Clean-up Repair / Rebuild
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance What Works? Specialize Decide basic training / skills Commit to Train Allow time Get the best trainers Provide materials Support while in the field
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance What Doesn’t Work Doing everything for everyone
Be Flexible
Relying on others to train Assuming knowledge Too few trained Volunteers Forgetting to be flexible
Google Free Images
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief
Beth Bootz Volunteer Mobilization Center Coordinator
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Overview Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers: Established in the Southern Baptist Convention in 1966. Have 65,000 trained volunteers in 42 conventions. 16,000 mobile units available. Provides: Physical needs Spiritual needs Work in teams Work within the Incident Command System.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Purpose & Scale of Skilled Volunteers Baptist conventions host the Disaster Relief trainings for their disaster relief volunteers. Specific training might include: Child Care Communication Chaplaincy Feeding Public Information Officer Recovery (chainsaw, mud-out, fire clean-up and/or repair) Shower/Laundry Water Purification
Disaster Relief volunteers are encouraged to get further training from: Introduction to American Red Cross
Module Introduction to The Salvation Army Module Introduction to The Federal Emergency Management Module FEMA/ICS Training Module Spiritual Preparation for Disaster Relief “Hope in Crisis” tract Standard first aid/CPR OSFA (Operational Stress First Aid)
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief What works? Standardized training Flexibility Working on teams
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief What doesn’t work? Untrained volunteers Self-deployment Top down management of affected state in charge Lone ranger
Virginia Volunteer Pilot’s Group
Lindy Kirkland President The Air Care Alliance
Virginia Volunteer Pilot Group Overview Government and Volunteer Cooperative Effort VA Dept. of Aviation VA Dept. of Emergency Management The Air Care Alliance Numerous Volunteer Pilot Groups Leverages Existing Infrastructure Integrates Volunteer General Aviation Into Official
Emergency Management Planning, Exercise, and Actions
Virginia Volunteer Pilot Group Purpose & Scale of Skilled Volunteers Leverages More Than a Dozen Volunteer Pilot
Organizations Operating In and Around Virginia More Than 2500 Volunteer Pilots Potentially
Involved Potentially More Than 500 General Aviation
Aircraft Available to Respond
Virginia Volunteer Pilot Group What works? Governmental Organization, Support and
Emergency Management Assets (VDEM) Not “Re-Inventing the Wheel” – Utilizing Existing
Volunteer Organizational Structures
Virginia Volunteer Pilot Group What doesn’t work? Unstructured Volunteer Involvement Not Integrating General Aviation Into Existing
Emergency Management Planning and Exercises
HandsOn Network & Points of Light
Kellie Bentz Director, Disaster Services
HandsOn Network & Points of Light Overview POL Disaster Services HandsOn Network SUV management in times of
disaster + additional training Technology-Skill based module being developedconnecting skill with opportunity/need Billion + Change
HandsOn Network & Points of Light Purpose & Scale of Skilled Volunteers Trained Volunteer Leaders - more informed and able
to plug in without getting in the way Staying informed Understand the nature of the work Connecting skill with need Probono Services + Hard Skills International/National/State/Local
HandsOn Network & Points of Light What works? Training Current tool applicable to non-times of disaster
http://interactive.apollogrp.edu/sites/HandsOnNet work/Skills-basedVolunteering/Training/index.html Creating disaster skill based volunteering module Technology-how to make the connection-local +
nationally
HandsOn Network & Points of Light What Doesn’t Work? Self deployment (creating a disaster within the
disaster) Languages
Shared Challenges Funding! Training – ensuring volunteers have
knowledge/experience needed, implementing online credentials Practice runs – how to interject simulations, exercises, trial runs before an actual disaster Recruitment – strategically including spontaneous volunteers so they have a good experience and want to go a step further for training Trends – staying on top
Small Group Work 5 min. groups, 10 min. discussion Take a look at the shared challenges between each
volunteer program Can you identify possible solutions?
Final Questions?
Thank you! Kristin Wright Disaster Corps Habitat for Humanity International DisasterCorps@habitat.org www.habitat.org/disaster
Rick Turner Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Rick.Turner@pcusa.org www.pcusa.org/pda
Beth Bootz Southern Baptist Disaster Relief bbootz@namb.net www.namb.net/dr
Lindy Kirkland The Air Care Alliance lindy.kirkland1.ctr@usmc.mil www.aircareall.org
Kellie Bentz HandsOn Network & Points of Light kbentz@handsonnetwork.org www.pointsoflight.org