Kids Can Help Child-led risk reduction strategies

1. Kids Can HelpChild-led risk reduction strategies Beryl Cheal Disaster Training International disastertraining@gmail.com www.disastertraining.org

2. Why should we involve kids in risk reduction? We need to do something new because - We’ve found that traditional centralized approaches to risk reduction don’t meet needs of communities. So we are developing community-based disaster risk reduction approaches. Child-led disaster risk reduction empowers those most at risk in communities – our children.

3. In fact -- Kids are one of our most vulnerable populations.

4. American Academy of Pediatrics “Disasters. . . are frightening for adults and can be equally, or even more, traumatic for children. . . “ “Children can regain their sense of power and security if they feel that they can help in some way. This can be accomplished by encouraging youngsters to participate in or organize a community response effort. . .” APA Journal, Vol. 117, No. 2, February 2006 “Mental-Health Vulnerabilities in Development of Resiliency” David Markenson and Sally Reynolds

5. Implementation of child-led risk reduction activities has shown that: • When disaster occurs fewer lives are lost. • Children are more resilient and the negative impact of disasters on survivors is significantly reduced. • Children’s mental and emotional recovery is helped.

6. Child-led risk reduction: • Can be a program – but it’s more than that. • It’s a philosophy, • A state of mind, • An idea about inclusion. • Including kids in planning for their safety – planning for their future.

7. Child-led risk reduction Are activities that seek: • To increase children’s understanding of the risks of disasters in their communities. • To strengthen children’s skills which will enable them to take the lead in reducing the risks and impacts of potential disasters.

8. Children who participate in child-led risk reduction activities: • Develop a greater capacity to cope with disasters. • Their sense of security is increased. • Their knowledge of the risks is developed. • Their sense of control and survival potential is enhanced by knowing how to respond to disasters.

9. But it’s – a new idea • Myths: • Adults know best. • Kids aren’t interested. • They don’t have the expertise. • They don’t understand the issues. • They don’t have time. • They are “just kids” – they play games. • Kid’s ideas just won’t work. • It’s easier for adults to talk with other adults. • And it’s faster to just do it ourselves.

10. We’ve all heard it said that: • “Father knows best.” • “Children should be seen and not heard.” • “Children must respect their elders.” • “Children must follow the rules.” • “There are authorities that know how risk reduction should be organized and implemented.” • “We are in an age of specialization. Let the specialists do that work.”

11. Important principles to remember: • We learn by doing. (Thomas Dewey) • We learn by teaching others. • We can relieve some of our own stress by helping others. • We want to do important things, not just clean up after someone else. • We want to make a difference. • Children want to help.

12. What is child-led risk reduction? • It’s about listening to kids. • It’s about teaching kids. • It’s about finding ways to support kids. • It’s about leadership and sharing responsibilities. • It’s about trust. • It’s about getting kids involved in the actual process of disaster risk reduction. • It’s about inclusion – including kids.

13. But most of all…… • It is an idea that: • Lets kids know they are active and valuable members of society and have the right to help make themselves and their communities safer by being involved as major players. • Lets kids know they are active partners in all phases of disaster management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery

14. As part of community based risk management: • We need to empower those most at risk within communities: our kids. • We need to remember that kids are active citizens – able to participate in making decisions and taking action on issues that are relevant to their lives.

15. Child-led risk reduction • Empowers kids and youth to become involved in their communities’ preparedness and mitigation plans. • Helps develop a culture of safety.

16. Remember that -- • Disaster risk reduction involves not only actually mitigating physical hazards, but also developing an awareness of safety and learning about how and why things happen. • If we know why things happen we are more likely to act on that knowledge, that information.

17. Kids/youth who have been involved in child-led risk reduction activities say: • “At first we were worried that adults would not help us when we visited the community to gather information. But it turned out that they were very cooperative. Many of them say that the map is very helpful.” – Thailand • “I'm not scared of any disasters anymore, because I already know what to do.” - Philippines

18. And more . . . • “Of course the risks were there before, but we did not have the knowledge to identify them.” - Sri Lanka • “We want to inform all the community members on knowledge and skills related to disaster preparedness.” - India

19. And still there are more . . • “We can teach the community and government about the issues that children face during disasters -- we must share our experiences with them.” - Indonesia • “In school we learnt about disasters, and we participate in disaster risk reduction in our commune with the adults.” – Viet Nam

20. What ages of kids can be involved in disaster risk reduction?

21. All ages

22. Younger children can participate by: • Talking about safety • Learning about living safely • Practicing safety • Teaching others about safety • Helping their families think about safety at home, school and work

23. Older children can participate by: • Getting to know their neighbors. • Helping their families develop emergency plans. • Observing safety hazards at school and in their communities. • Helping their school develop an emergency plan. • Learning about possible hazards in their area.

24. Each community is different, but kids might also: • Map their school and communities. • Talk with educational and civic leaders about hazards. • Advocate for hazards mitigation. • Educate their community about hazards.

25. And . . . • Take part in community safety meetings. • Develop safety educational materials. • Share what it’s like to be a child/youth in disaster. • Help evaluate the emergency plan. • Talk with decision makers about the impact of disasters on kids.

26. Kids can do things on their own, but…….. • It’s easier to get started, and more fun working with other kids through: • Schools • Before and after school programs • Community groups/clubs • Parks and recreation programs • YMCAs or YWCAs • Summer camps (day camps or residential camps) • Religious groups • Fire departments • Emergency management offices

27. Schools are a great place to start.

28. Why should schools be involved? That’s where kids are: • A child spends approximately 6 out of 13 to 15 waking hours a day in school. • That is nearly one half of the child’s weekly life. Kendall Johnson, Ph.D “Crisis and Stress Management Techniques for Counselors, Teachers and Other Professionals”

29. But schools are also where children can be the most vulnerable. “When a natural hazard strikes, children are among the most vulnerable population group, especially those attending school in times of disaster.” Salvano Briceno “Disaster Risk Reduction Begins at School” United Nations, International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

30. Kids have been or could be victimized at school because of: • Structural hazards (China – 11,000 students and teachers killed in earthquake, 2008) • Location of schools in environmentally hazardous areas (Orting, WA, base of Mt. Rainier) • Human instigated violence (playground shootings, Stockton, CA) • Location of schools near major transportation routes (chemical spills)

31. To help our kids survive and be more resilient remember that: • Disaster risk reduction involves : • Actually mitigating physical hazards, • Developing an awareness of safety, and; • Learning about how and why things happen.

32. So how can schools help? • Develop disaster/emergency plans and include kids in: • Developing the plan. • Decision making about the plan. • Assessing and evaluating the plan. • Marketing the plan. • Encourage teachers to help kids learn about disasters by: • Providing resources for learning. • Getting kids involved in experiential learning.

33. Science Health Civics History Social Studies English Math Art Journalism Public Speaking/debate Literature Drama Experiential learning could be included in any or all of these school learning environments:

34. Levels of child-led disaster risk reduction at school • Level I • Fire drill • Level II • Desk learning • Level III • Experiential learning/projects • Level IV • Help develop school emergency plan • Level V • Participate in community emergency plan Source: Beryl Cheal

35. Schools can also: • Encourage clubs and extra curricular activities for students • Teen SERT Training • First aid training • Provide space for community meetings • Co-sponsor community emergency preparedness/safety events • Assist in developing a community-wide emergency plan

36. Before and after school activities could include: • Safety clubs that help design and implement safety campaigns on: • A school and/or community culture of safety • A community safety fair • A community preparedness fair • Bicycle safety • Swimming safety • Community safety • Home safety

37. Children’s clubs could: • Teach children basic first aid skills. • Provide opportunities for children to design evacuation routes and procedures for the club. • Research equipment and supplies needed to keep club kids safe in an emergency. • Discuss safety at the club and design safety procedures for kids who belong to the club.

38. All of these activities help children and youth: • Understand more about their environment. • Accumulate information about what to do in an emergency or disaster.

39. Another reminder - • Child-led risk reduction is about: • Letting children know they are active and valuable members of society and have the right to help make themselves and their communities safer by being involved as major players, as partners.

40. It all fits together. All of the things that kids/youth learn about: • What disasters have happened in the past. • Why various disasters happen at all. • What they can do to make themselves and their families safer. • How they can get this information out into the community.

41. Gives them more information and expertise to increasingly contribute to their own well-being.

42. And it helps develop a culture of safety.

43. Resources • Disaster Training International – www.disastertraining.org • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - www.fema.gov • FEMA for Kids - www.fema.gov/kids/ • Investigating Natural Disasters Through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach by Anthony D. Fredericks • Live Science - www.livescience.com/ • Masters of Disaster, developed by the American Red Cross - www.redcross.org/ • Plan international www.planusa.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/560953 • Risk RED - Risk Reduction Education for Disasters - www.riskred.org/ • Save the Children Sweden - www.savethechildren.se/ • Teen SERT - www.cert-la.com/links/teensert.htm • US Weather Service - www.weather.com/