Building Resilient Organizations for Humanitarian and Development Assistance Field Workers

Hosted by the International Disaster Psychology Program in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver, this conference brought together practitioners, researchers, and other experts in the field to focus on key staff care issues for humanitarian and development workers and organizations.

Final conference report & schedule

Click here to read the excellent 38-page PDF document. Includes the full conference schedule.

Background

In March 2004, humanitarian and international development professionals from more than 60 organizations gathered at the University of Notre Dame for a groundbreaking conference entitled "Tending the Helper's Fire: Mitigating Stress and Trauma in International Staff and Volunteers" organized by Idealist.org/Action Without Borders. Humanitarian aid is highly rewarding but demanding work, and aid workers and volunteers face a variety of threats to their physical health and mental health and emotional stability. Accidents and poor judgment on the part of aid workers, reduced commitment to their organizations, and lowered efficiency and effectiveness are a few results of unmanaged strains and stressors. Many of these are intrinsic to the situations in which they work; others appear to reflect team and organizational factors. However, attention to staff care and support before, during, and after their time in the field and the study of how to improve outcomes in this arena was still relatively new in 2004. Later, the notion that effective self-care and management ultimately contributes to the ability of all humanitarian workers to work more effectively and more safely gained considerable currency.

Key issues addressed by the conference

• Staff selection
• Preparation and orientation
• Support during assignment
• Support after assignment
• Managing in crisis situations
• Response to critical incidents
• Developing measures for improved headquarters and field office management practices

 Special thanks

Special thanks to the following supporting organizations and their contributing members:

Headington Institute -- Rick Augsburger, Bree Hulme, Lisa McKay
Psychologists for Social Responsibility -- Deanna Beech
CARE -- Lynne Cripe, Todd Hoskins
SUNY Old Westbury & Antares Foundation  -- John Eherenreich
Save the Children -- John Fawcett
Sharon Forrence -- Independent Consultant
International Disaster Psychology Program, University of Denver -- Judith Fox, Janet Shriberg
Restorative Resources Training & Consulting -- Amber Gray
ARD, Inc. -- Donna Read
Fathom Creative -- Drew Mitchell and John Sokorai