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Psychological First Aid and Psychosocial Support. Basic Introduction Module for staff and volunteers 2 to 4 hrs. Introduction Tour de table : Each person introduces him / herself briefly. What is a disaster
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Psychological First Aid and Psychosocial Support Basic Introduction Module for staff and volunteers2 to 4 hrs
Introduction Tour de table: Eachpersonintroduceshim/herselfbriefly
Whatis a disaster • According to UNISDR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2009, p. 9): a disaster is a “serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources”.
What is Psychological First Aid? • Psychological firstaidis a ‘humane, supportiveresponseto a fellow human beingwhoissufferingandwhomayneedsupport’ (WHO, 2011)
Psychological First Aid • Non‐intrusive, practicalcare and support • Assessing needs and concerns • Helping people to address basic needs (food, water) • Listening, but no pressuring people to talk • Comforting people and helping them to feel calm
Psychological First Aid • Helping people connect to informaton, services and social supports • Protectng people from further harm
WhatisPsychosocial Support? A community-based approach to facilitate the resilience* of the affected populationwhilst at the same time Maintaining health and well-being of staff and volunteers
Spheresocialindicators - 1 • Access to information • Maintain normal cultural and religious events • Formal or informal schooling for children and recreational activities (safe places) • Participation in concrete, purposeful activities • Shelter for displaced, with the aim of keeping families and communities together
Case example • After a large earthquakeabout 500 peoplearewaiting in front ofthemorgue in ordertobeallowed in foridentificationprocedures • The PS teamsestablishplacesofworship, placeswherepeoplecansit down, eat, drink, placesforchildrenandaccompanythefamiliestotheviewings
Case example Sheltersfor 15000 peopleareestablished • The PS teamssuggesttovotefor a major in eachshelter, toestablishplacesofsocialreunion in theshelters, andschoolsandkindergartensforchildren…. • Funeralsareorganised in a culturallyappropriatemanner • Regular informationisgiventotheinhabitantsoftheshelter on thedangeroffurtherearthquakes, thefurtherproceduresofrecoveryaswellasinjurancequestions
PsychosocialSupport (PSP) • Psychosocial Support means • A community/group- or family-based collaboration with the affected in order to promote the utilisation of their own and their group´ s resources • It equally means to facilitate processes within the family/group/community in order to enhance their recovery
In order to reach collaboration • Givenot onlymedical, but also emotional andpracticalsupport • Strenghthen individual andgroupresources • Help personscopewith extreme stress reactions
PuttingPSS intopractice • Puttingthisintopracticemeans • Recognizing not onlypeople´smedical, but also theirpsychosocialneeds • Creating a frameworkforcopingwellbyfocusing on safety, connectedness, selfandcollectiveefficacy, calmandhope
PuttingPSS intopractice • Youhavetoacknowledgethat • Needs maydifferfromwhatyouexpect • People needspaceto express their stress andemotions in theirspecificways
Elements of psychosocial supportHobfoll (2007) • Safety • Connectedness • Selfandcollectiveefficacy • Calm • Hope
Safety • Create a safeplace • Establish a trustfulrelationship • Staywiththem • Give open and honest information
Howtogiveinformation • Giveregularinformationaboutfacts, rescueandhowtoproceedaswellasanythingelsethatisneeded • Keep itshortand simple • Tell thetruth (you do not havetosayeverything but whatyousay must betrue) • Do not givetoodeatailledinformation in thebeginning but letyourselfbeguidedbythepersons´ questions
Self and collective efficacy: Regaining control • Help peopletoregaincontrol, letthembeactivewhereverpossible-givethemtaskstheyareabletofulfill
Calm: Stress reduction • Help themtogaindistancetotheeventforsomemoments, establishreoutinesassoonaspossible • Children: givethempossibilitiestoplayanddivertthemselves
Connectedness • Help themtoconnecttoeachother • Reunitefamiliesassoonaspossible • Strenghthensocialnetworks • Try to bring in friends/relatives whocansupport
Hope • Help themtotakesmallstepsintothefuture • Plan littlesteps like howandwithwhomtoreturnintoone´shouse, whichmusictoplay at thefuneral etc.
Stepsin PFA • Look • Listen • Link
Look • Check forsafety • Check forpeoplewithobvious urgent basicneeds. • Check forpeoplewithseriousdistressreactions.
Listen • Approach peoplewhomayneedsupport. • Askaboutpeople’sneedsandconcerns. • Listen topeople, andhelpthemtofeelcalm.
Link • Help peopleaddressbasicneedsandaccessservices. • Help peoplecopewithproblems. • Giveinformation. • Connect peoplewithlovedonesandsocialsupport.
Exercise • Useexercisefromtrainershandbook (Annex) and/orfromthe WHO facilitatorsguide • Usehandout in the Annex (trainershandbook)