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PERSPECTIVES FOR SOCIAL WORK & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Disaster Management – Action & Impact
Introduction
a Civil Engineer "Civil engineering is the art of directing the great sources of
power in nature for the use and convenience of mankind" Sometimes those sources of power in nature surprise us all by their ferocity .
a Minister of Religion As a minister of religion is charged with the pastoral care and
welfare of people and this includes when they suffer personal disasters.
a Relief Worker. As a relief worker, the role is to ease the impact of disasters and
aid recovery.
Introduction
“The trouble with you engineers is that you are so busy with things that you don’t find time to talk to people.”
Listening to people makes all the difference!
Introduction
1. The social work ethos is central to good Disaster Management.
2. Social Workers can help mitigate the negative and optimize the positive links between Disasters and Development.
3. Social Workers have a role at every stage of the Disaster Management cycle
A few definitions
Disaster: "A serious disruption of the functioning of a
community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources."
A few definitions
Disaster Management: “The systematic process of using administrative
directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster.”
A few definitions
Social Development. ‘putting people at the centre of development.’
1. The Ethos Of Social Work is Central To Good Disaster
Management.
The Ethos Of Social Work - Central To Good Disaster Management.
ELRHA says the top four core values of humanitarian workers are:- Respect Accountability Independence Impartiality
Are these not the core values for Social Workers?
The Ethos Of Social Work - Central To Good Disaster Management.
Understanding the humanitarian contextApplying humanitarian standards and principlesEnsuring programme quality and impactAccountabilityAbility to make decisionsListening and creating dialogueWorking with others
The same global research by ELRHA listed the core competencies expected of relief workers as:-
The Ethos Of Social Work - Central To Good Disaster Management.
Minimising risk to communities, partners and stakeholders
Managing personal safety and securityMaintaining professionalismAdapting and copingSelf-awareness Motivating and influencing othersCritical judgement
The same global research by ELRHA listed the core competencies expected of relief workers as:-
Are these not the core values for Social Workers?
The Ethos Of Social Work - Central To Good Disaster Management.
The same research identified the following gaps in the list:- 'Psycho-social/psycho-spiritual.‘ 'Cultural sensitivity.‘ 'Self-management.‘ ‘Motivation and communication initiatives.’
The single most frequently identified gap was: Competency in communicating and working effectively with
disaster-affected populations.
These are competencies Social Workers are ideally suited to bring to Disaster Management?
2 - Social Work and the Disaster / Development Link
Social Work and the Disaster / Development Link
Disasters and development can have positive and negative consequences on a community
Disasters can set or hold back development activities.
Disasters may:1. destroy progress and set back
development projects.2. divert resources (people,
money and time) and hold up development.
3. undermine donor confidence and the motivation of the community.
4. divert strategic focus from development.
5. deprive the community of people, services and skills to implement programmes.
Development
Disaster
Neg
ati
ve
Posi
tive
Development can increase a community’s vulnerability to disaster.
Development may:-1. attract an influx of relatively
low-income groups who are particularly vulnerable to disaster.
2. heighten vulnerability to loss of livelihood.
3. Improve cash crop production but reduce staple food production
4. cause mass movement of peoples - socio/economic upheaval – land demand and deforestation risks.
5. cause environmental and hazardous pollution.
Development
Disaster
Neg
ati
ve
Posi
tive
Development programmes can reduce vulnerability to disaster.
Positive development can result in:- 1. hazard resistant structures,
terracing, flood management etc.
2. people centric policies, safety by-laws, practices, building codes, socio/economic strategies.
3. education policies, disaster awareness, environmental understanding.
4. community organization and empowerment.
5. mitigation and preparedness planning.
Development
Disaster
Neg
ati
ve
Posi
tive
Disasters can provide development opportunities.
Opportunities such as:-1. raised international interest2. aid to address socio/economic
issues3. restructuring (practice and
policy) that would otherwise have been of low priority.
4. community capacity building, empowerment and closer social adhesion.
5. addressing vulnerabilities for social development previously ignored.
6. hazard reduction investment.
Development
Disaster
Neg
ati
ve
Posi
tive
Development/Disaster Link - Summary
Disasters can set or hold back development activities.
Development can increase a community’s vulnerability to disaster.
Development programs can reduce vulnerability.
Disasters can provide development opportunities.
Social Workers have a major role to help mitigate the negative impact of disasters and poor development and to build on the positive opportunities for development that arise post disasters
3- Social Work and the Disaster Management Cycle
Social Work and the Disaster Management Cycle
The Disaster Management Cycle describes the sequence and process by which governments, businesses, and civil society plan for; reduce the impact of; react to and recover from a disaster.
Social Work and the Disaster Management Cycle
is reducing vulnerability
to the impact of disasters
Social Workers contribute by highlighting the social impact of disaster threats -
particularly on the more vulnerable - and influencing change in habit, behavior, law etc. to mitigate the likelihood of the disaster or its potential impact.
raise awareness and plan to enhance resilience to a catastrophic event.
Mitigation…
Social Work and the Disaster Management Cycle
is understanding how a
disaster may impact the community and building
capacity to respond and recover
Social Workers contribute by outreach, education community capacity building contingency planning and training.
Preparedness…
Social Work and the Disaster Management Cycle
includes saving lives,
assessment, meeting humanitarian needs - (material, psychosocial, spiritual).
Social Workers contribute by Advising on socially appropriate methodology and
prioritization of response efforts. Facilitating the engagement of the survivors in the
response - not just as victims. Psychosocial support, counseling and community cohesion.
Response…
Social Work and the Disaster Management Cycle
restoring all aspects of the
disaster’s impact on a community
Social Workers contribute by psychosocial support post trauma restoring a state of hope, a sense of worth and community
cohesion. regenerating enterprise. relocation and resettlement from temporary to permanent
homes involving the community in redevelopment and recovery plans.
Recovery…
Perspectives for social work & social development
In conclusion The social work ethos, its language, values,
techniques and core competencies of Social Work are common and central to good Disaster Management. We talk the same talk – let’s walk the same walk together.
Social Workers can help mitigate the negative and optimize the positive links between Disasters and Development. Let’s work together to ensure even the darkest cloud can have a silver lining.
Social Workers have a key role at every stage of the Disaster Management Cycle. A ‘hand up’ rather than ‘hand out’ must be our guiding principle.
THANK YOU
Together we can
Web sites for courses;
www.redr.org.uk & follow links to training www.reliefweb.int/trainings
Essentials of humanitarian practise Sphere practise Safety and security Facilitation Prepare to respond Children in emergencies Management Staff welfare Needs assessment Team building Plus specialist areas e.g water & sanitation, shelter, logistics, proposal
writing,c amp management, Et al
