Transcript Engaging the Community: Volunteerism and

Engaging the community- volunteerism
and DM in Nepal
Umesh Prasad Dhakal
Executive Director
Nepal Red Cross Society
Global Perspectives
• The global Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteer workforce
numbers 13.1 million: greater than the population of Greece,
and equivalent to the population of Tokyo.
• Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers contributed USD 6
billion dollars worth of services worldwide in 2010.
• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies is calling on governments around the world to
continue to increase the protection of volunteers by
identifying gaps or barriers in laws and policies related to
issues such as liability, insurance, and health and safety.
•
•
Mission of Nepal Red Cross
Relieve human suffering and to reduce
vulnerability
through
community
participation and mobilistion of an
increased number of volunteers, by
expanding
and
strengthening
the
organisational structure of the Society and
building links with governmental and nongovernmental organisations.
Capacity of Nepal Red Cross
• More than 6,000 organisational units (chapters / subchapters, JRC/Y Circles) across the country.
• More than 1 million members.
• Nearly 90,000 trained volunteers in several
disciplines.
• Community reach across the whole country
• Diversified programmes which integrate volunteer
management.
Volunteers in disaster management
Human Resources (both volunteers and professionals)
FACT: 3
ERU: 1
RDRT: 39
NDRT: 147
Simulator: 115
RCAT: 2,625
MFR: 12
CSSR: 4
DDRT: 1,667 (53 districts)
PHiE: 29
LSAR: Around 2, 000
WASH: 1,642
First Aid Volunteer: 14,016
Dead Body Management: 13
First Aid Trainers: 651
Tracing personnel: 255
Advance First Aider: 182
PSP/ Counseling: 29/53
Regional core group/FA: 41
Emergency shelter trainer:22
Volunteer Management
• Volunteer Management Policy(2002).
• Volunteer Management Handbook (2006).
• Volunteer management as an organisational
development programme.
• Systems and structures for managing and
mobilising volunteers:
– On line database
– Training, refresher training
– Recruitment and rotation system
– Frequent mobilisation for emergencies and simulations
Linkages between volunteers
and comminities
Community Based Approach to DRR
and DM
Community
A community is a group of households, families
or individuals living in a certain geographical
area; working together for a common purpose;
however, are diverse in terms of culture, gender,
age and with differentiated interests.
Why focus on communities?
• Communities are ones who suffer most from
these disasters every year:
– Nepal: Country with diverse topography.
– Multitudes of hazards existing in the communities.
– 10,000 families are affected annually by disaster,
2 lives per day - the highest rate in South Asia.
– Communities are first to be affected and first to
respond.
Communities in DRR
• Communities are an effective and cost efficient,
frontline force for prevention and mitigation efforts,
saving lives, protecting livelihoods, enabling
sustainable development.
• The investment in DRR and mitigation yields
benefits at the ratio 1:18.6 (Cost Benefit analysis report of
CBDRR, 2010.)
Characteristics of a disaster resilient community
7. Coordination and partnership mechanism
6. Community action team and tools/equipments
5. Community managed Contingency/DRR funds
4. Early warning system
3.DRR/M plan, includes some core/minimum
elements/risk reduction
2. Systematic and participatory multi-hazard risk assessment
1.Functional institutional base for DRR initiatives
Reaching the communtities
Site selection
Review,
evaluation and
handing over
Community led
DRM action
Community
Organization
process
Community
Disaster risk
management
planning
Community organization/
Rapport building
Institutional setting/
CDRMO formation
Risk Assessment/
Community
Situation analysis
(CSA)
Engaging communities
2. Community
Organisation /
Rapport Building
1. Site
Selection
7. Participatory
Monitoring and
Evaluation
6. Communityled DRM action
3. Insitiutional
Setting / CDRMO
Formation
Community
Organisation
for DRR
4. Risk Assessment /
Situation Analysis
5. Community Disaster
Risk Management
Planning
Community Based DRR Project Cycle
6 months
Inception
phase
21 months
Development
phase
9 months
Exit phase
Lessons Learnt
• Community based programmes:
– help to build solidarity among community people and
strengthens community resilience.
– help to increase community volunteers and expanding
organisation.
– ensure optimum utilization of local resources for risk
reduction and capacity building.
• Sustainability measures need to be considered right
from the planning phase.
• Community/volunteer involvement is the key for
success.
Recommendations
1. Make the most out of community knowledge and
resources:
– Encourage the use of indigenous knowledge and practices
through the engagement of communities.
– Calculate and acknowledge the economic and social value
of volunteers.
Recommendations
2. Ensure good volunteer management systems:
– Establish a systematic, institutionalised approach to volunteer
management based on a volunteer management cycle
– Integrate volunteer management into all programmes /
projects
– System of rewards and recognition
Recommendations
3. Create an enabling environment for volunteers
through:
– Improving the protection, recognition and promotion of
volunteers.
– Providing insurance for volunteers working in emergencies
– Calculate and acknowledge the economic and social value of
volunteers.
Thank you