CONSULTING
EMERGENCY PSYCHOSOCIAL
RESPONSE NETWORK
NETWORK ENABLING
PROJECT WORKPLAN
This
Document sets out the terms of Reference for the Psychnet Consulting Job
between 2002 and 2005
UNICEF South East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office
in 1999 initiated a move to enhance the capacities of various organizations in
the South East Asian region to effectively provide psychosocial care in times
of emergencies.
An essential element of this effort is:
1. the
forging of new alliances
2. the revitalization of existing ties
that bind various organizations working in the area of psychosocial response.
The underlying assumption behind the emphasis in this
component is that a strong and proactive network of organizations can be relied
upon to deliver rapid psychosocial care in times of emergencies in the region.
One of the landmarks in this effort is the holding of the 1st Asia
and Pacific Regional Experts’ Meeting on Psychosocial Response in
Emergencies on August 30 and 31, 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting was
attended by representatives from the different areas of the region and resulted
in the establishment of the Regional Psychosocial Support Network. The network
was primarily envisioned to provide:
1. a
venue for the exchange of ideas
2. the sharing of expertise in the area
of psychosocial response.
Among the specific objectives of the network are:
Firstly, the creation of a resource centre consisting
of:
1) a
database of human resources,
2) organizations
and their:
i) services
ii) relevant
ongoing and existing researches
iii) field
practices
iv) initiatives
on local indigenous approaches
v) healing/building
capacities training materials
vi) assessment
tools
vii) guidelines
and principles pertinent in emergency situations
Secondly, the development of the region’s
capability to provide rapid response in emergency cases.
Thirdly, the identification of a ready list of
competent, credible and trustworthy people and institutions that can be called
on short notice and quickly deployed in a particular area.
Fourthly, an emergency kit containing:
1) important
materials
2) guidelines
3) methodologies
and
4) approaches
that will quickly but adequately
prepare a team of 20 to 25 individuals for immediate deployment.
To provide professional expertise:
1) First,
to create a database of resources containing:
i) written
material
ii) a list of competent people
and reputable organizations that can be accessed (by whom) and relied on
by parties in need of immediate psychosocial care.
2) Second,
to spearhead:
i) the
conceptualization and
ii) the consequent production
of:
(a) emergency
training kits/modules,
(b) materials,
tools and instruments
that will facilitate the preparation of a
core group of experienced individuals for the immediate delivery of
psychosocial care in any area within the region.
3)
Third, to provide these resources with careful regard
to the nuances of the diverse social and cultural environment present in the
region.
Work Assignments:
(1) Network with the relevant organizations and people in the Southeast Asia
and the Pacific region to strengthen ties among people and organizations that
provide psychosocial care
(2) Compile an adequately large list of competent and experienced people who
have worked and are interested in doing psychosocial work in the region.
(3) Compile an adequately large list of reputable organizations whose work
is relevant in some ways to the delivery of psychosocial care in the region.
(4) Collect written materials such as books, manuals, articles or
bibliographic information related to the delivery of psychosocial care in times
of emergencies.
(5) Review and integrate all the existing approaches, techniques,
methodologies, strategies and practices in the region with regards to psychosocial
care.
(6) Collect case studies of good practices that highlight indigenous
approaches from the region.
(7) Develop policies, guidelines and principles in the rapid delivery of psychosocial
care in consultation with various practitioners and organizations in the
region.
(8) Produce an emergency training kit/manual that contains culturally
appropriate guidelines, principles, assessment tools that can be used in the training
of a team of experienced professionals for quick deployment in areas
experiencing emergencies.
End Product(s):
1) Database of organizations
with the corresponding description and contact information
2) Database
of competent people with the corresponding work description and contact
information
3) Database
of written materials (including all the available full-text articles and
bibliographic information) on psychosocial care
4)
Case studies of good practices highlighting indigenous
approaches
5) Training
modules
6)
Emergency kit containing information packets,
guidelines, case studies, assessment tools, etc.