Session Community Services

 Basic Principles of Community Services People Have:  Dignity and Worth  Capacity to Change  Need for Community Support  Right to Live a Full Life  Right to Help When Needed  Duty to Help Others  Ultimate Goal: Self-Help

 Community-based Approach  Resources from Within the Community  + Plus +  Outside Resources (Acting as a Catalyst)  = Creates =  Partnership to Solve Problems  *Leads to*  SELF-HELP

WHY are Community Services Vital in Emergencies? Because of the psychological, social changes… violence deaths trauma separation new roles new life style loss of control fall from self-reliance to dependence

 Community Services is Interrelated with All Sectors - How?  Provides support to ensure that basic physical needs for food, water, shelter, fuel and health care are met  Helps identify vulnerable persons who may need more assistance or protection  Coordinates with other Members of the Emergency Response team

Community Services in Action Phase I: Assessment  Assess needs and resources, formulate guidelines, develop action plan Phase II: Foundation  Develop refugee committees, meeting schedules, select implementing partners, staff training Phase III: Building  Recruit & train refugee workers, develop vulnerable group programs, education activities, psycho-social rehabilitation, tracing

Vulnerable Groups  Victims of torture  Victims of rape and sexual violence  Pregnant and lactating women  Women Heads of Household  Children  Unaccompanied Minors  The Elderly  Physically handicapped  Mentally handicapped  AIDS victims

 Find out what happened to refugees before, during, after migration  Learn how they dealt with trauma, loss, grief  Provide medical care, counseling, protection for survivors of violence  Re-establish normal family, community life  Ensure access to information Mental Health Problems: Response and Prevention

Assisting the Vulnerable…   Use refugee leaders and community workers to identify those who need immediate assistance  Ensure access to basic services  Find foster care  Help avoid further isolation  Base special services on the community

Training Community Service Workers Discuss: characteristics of refugee community, resources available, roles and relationships of assistance agencies, procedures and guidelines Start on basic tasks Pair experienced with new workers Encourage informal information exchanges between workers Continue “on-the-job” training

Possible Community Service Roles for Refugee Workers  sanitation, community health, water use, environmental education/ awareness  orienting new refugees  screening for problems  community surveys  others?

More Activities for Refugee Workers  monitoring food distribution  assisting refugees with special needs  follow-up on medical cases  tracing activities  organizing community activities  health outreach

Remember: Community Services in Refugee Emergencies Community Services in Refugee Emergencies  Basic principles  Community-based Approach  Vital from the onset of an emergency  Interrelated with all sectors  Part of Emergency Response Team  Phased Approach: Assessment, Foundation, and Building