Engaging the community- volunteerism and DM in Nepal

1
Engaging the community- volunteerism and DM in
Nepal
Umesh Prasad Dhakal Executive Director Nepal Red
Cross Society
2
Global Perspectives

• The global Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteer
  workforce numbers 13.1 million greater than the
  population of Greece, and equivalent to the
  population of Tokyo.
• Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers contributed
  USD 6 billion dollars worth of services worldwide
  in 2010.
• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
  Crescent Societies is calling on governments
  around the world to continue to increase the
  protection of volunteers by identifying gaps or
  barriers in laws and policies related to issues
  such as liability, insurance, and health and
  safety.

3
Mission of Nepal Red Cross

• Relieve human suffering and to reduce
  vulnerability through community participation and
  mobilistion of an increased number of volunteers,
  by expanding and strengthening the organisational
  structure of the Society and building links with
  governmental and non-governmental organisations.

4
Capacity of Nepal Red Cross

• More than 6,000 organisational units (chapters /
  sub-chapters, JRC/Y Circles) across the country.
• More than 1 million members.
• Nearly 90,000 trained volunteers in several
  disciplines.
• Community reach across the whole country
• Diversified programmes which integrate volunteer
  management.

5
Volunteers in disaster management
Human Resources (both volunteers and professionals) Human Resources (both volunteers and professionals)
FACT 3 Simulator 115
ERU 1 RCAT 2,625
RDRT 39 MFR 12
NDRT 147 CSSR 4
DDRT 1,667 (53 districts) PHiE 29
LSAR Around 2, 000 WASH 1,642
First Aid Volunteer 14,016 Dead Body Management 13
First Aid Trainers 651 Tracing personnel 255
Advance First Aider 182 PSP/ Counseling 29/53
Regional core group/FA 41 Emergency shelter trainer22
6
Volunteer Management

• Volunteer Management Policy(2002).
• Volunteer Management Handbook (2006).
• Volunteer management as an organisational
  development programme.
• Systems and structures for managing and
  mobilising volunteers
• On line database
• Training, refresher training
• Recruitment and rotation system
• Frequent mobilisation for emergencies and
  simulations

7
Linkages between volunteers and comminities

• Community Based Approach to DRR and DM

8
Community

• A community is a group of households, families or
  individuals living in a certain geographical
  area working together for a common purpose
  however, are diverse in terms of culture, gender,
  age and with differentiated interests.

9
Why focus on communities?

• Communities are ones who suffer most from these
  disasters every year
• Nepal Country with diverse topography.
• Multitudes of hazards existing in the
  communities.
• 10,000 families are affected annually by
  disaster, 2 lives per day - the highest rate in
  South Asia.
• Communities are first to be affected and first to
  respond.

10
Communities in DRR

• Communities are an effective and cost efficient,
  frontline force for prevention and mitigation
  efforts, saving lives, protecting livelihoods,
  enabling sustainable development.
• The investment in DRR and mitigation yields
  benefits at the ratio 118.6 (Cost Benefit
  analysis report of CBDRR, 2010.)

11
Characteristics of a disaster resilient community
12
Reaching the communtities
Site selection
Community organization/ Rapport building
Community Organization process
Institutional setting/ CDRMO formation
Review, evaluation and handing over
Risk Assessment/ Community Situation analysis
(CSA)
Community Disaster risk management planning
Community led DRM action
13
Engaging communities
Community Organisation for DRR
14
Community Based DRR Project Cycle
15
Lessons Learnt

• Community based programmes
• help to build solidarity among community people
  and strengthens community resilience.
• help to increase community volunteers and
  expanding organisation.
• ensure optimum utilization of local resources for
  risk reduction and capacity building.
• Sustainability measures need to be considered
  right from the planning phase.
• Community/volunteer involvement is the key for
  success.

16
Recommendations

• Make the most out of community knowledge and
  resources
• Encourage the use of indigenous knowledge and
  practices through the engagement of communities.
• Calculate and acknowledge the economic and social
  value of volunteers.

17
Recommendations

• 2. Ensure good volunteer management systems
• Establish a systematic, institutionalised
  approach to volunteer management based on a
  volunteer management cycle
• Integrate volunteer management into all
  programmes / projects
• System of rewards and recognition

18
Recommendations

• 3. Create an enabling environment for volunteers
  through
• Improving the protection, recognition and
  promotion of volunteers.
• Providing insurance for volunteers working in
  emergencies
• Calculate and acknowledge the economic and social
  value of volunteers.

19
Thank you