COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
Module 1
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Crisis events and
psychosocial support
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
COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
What is a crisis event?
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
Zimbabwe/Southern
Africa
– HIV/AIDS
Denmark
Israel
Indonesia
Lebanon
//Syria
Bulgaria
Austria
–School
Colombia
Hotline
/– Sri
Iraqi
– –Armed
-Ambulance
Lanka
Trafficking
-for
Refugees
CABAC
- IDP
Lonely
Conflict
– Tsunami
Drivers
Youth
Bam
Beslan
Pakistan
–Palestine
–Hostage
Earthquakes
Crisis
oooo
o
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
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–
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–
–
–
–
Natural versus man-made
Intentionality
Degree of preventability
Scope of impact
Suffering
Degree of expectedness
Duration of the event
2. Crisis/post-crisis
environment
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–
–
–
–
–
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
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–
–
–
–
–
–
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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?
• Mobilizing early and adequate
psychosocial support can prevent
distress and suffering from developing
into something more severe
• Psychosocial support helps people
affected by crises to recover
COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
Intervention pyramid
Intervention
pyramid for
mental health and
psychosocial
support in
emergencies
COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
Personal experiences
• 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.
COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
Local psychosocial needs
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
• Volunteers are part of the local
community
• Volunteers know the culture
COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
Matching needs
COMMUNITY-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT · MODULE 1
Recap
• What are crisis events?
• What is psychosocial support?
• How can you apply the knowledge from this
module?