Module 1

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COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Crisis events and psychosocial support

• Different types of crisis events • What affects the impact of crisis events • Psychosocial support and its purpose • The role of volunteers and staff in psychosocial support

What is a crisis event?

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1

A crisis event is a major event outside the range of ordinary everyday experience that is extremely threatening to those involved, accompanied by feelings of powerlessness, horror or terror.

Within the context of Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, people are faced with crisis events every day. These events include deaths, accidents, disasters, serious illness (e.g. HIV) , rape, suicide.

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Preparedness and response

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COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 What makes events critical?

Work in pairs.

Discuss the following questions:

• Think of a crisis event in your community that has taken place in the past three years.

• What were the characteristics of the event?

• What factors made it a crisis situation?

• What factors increased the psychosocial impact of the event?

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 What increases psychosocial impact of a crises?

Work in groups of three to four.

• Read the case study • Discuss what factors increased the psychosocial impact of the events?

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Factors affecting the psychosocial impact of crisis events 1. Characteristics of the event 2. Crisis/post-crisis environment 3. Individual characteristics 4. Family and community resources

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Factors affecting the psychosocial impact of crisis events 1. Characteristics of the event

– – – – – – – Natural versus man-made Intentionality Degree of preventability Scope of impact Suffering Degree of expectedness Duration of the event

2. Crisis/post-crisis environment

– – – – Weather Time of day Accessibility to area Amount of physical destruction – – Number of deaths Number of child deaths

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Factors affecting the psychosocial impact of crisis events 3. Individual characteristics

– – – – – – – – Age - stage of life Mental health Social support systems Disabilities Social economic status Religion Disaster history Previous traumatic experiences

4. Family and community resources

– – – – Weather Time of day Accessibility to area Amount of physical destruction – – Number of deaths Number of child deaths

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 What is psychosocial support?

• Psychosocial support refers to actions that address psychological and social needs of individuals, families and communities • Psychosocial support can be delivered in specific programmes or be integrated within other activities • The International Federation approach to psychosocial support is: – A community based approach to facilitate the resilience of the affected population – A way to mobilize the power of humanity – A means of maintaining health and well-being of staff and volunteers

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Why provide psychosocial support?

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Mobilizing early and adequate psychosocial support can prevent distress and suffering from developing into something more severe

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Psychosocial support helps people affected by crises to recover

Intervention pyramid COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Intervention pyramid for mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies

Personal experiences COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1

• • • •

Think about a situation where a person you know had a problem.

How did you know there was a need for help? How did you or others meet those needs?

Share your experiences with the person next to you afterwards.

Local psychosocial needs COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Go into the same groups as before.

• Identify psychosocial needs in your community.

• How can they be addressed? Use examples and ideas from this session.

• Report back in plenary afterwards.

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Advantages of volunteers

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Volunteers are part of the local community

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Volunteers know the culture

Matching needs COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1

COMMUNITY BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1 Recap

• What are crisis events?

• What is psychosocial support?

• How can you apply the knowledge from this module?