The PFA for all Pledge Group is hosting an open webinar on Psychological First Aid in complex situations.
- This event has passed.
Webinar: PFA, Complex situations and Reactions
Presentations:
- Danish Red Cross will present a new PFA training module on complex situations and reactions.
- Irish Red Cross will present it's work in detention environments and introduce the Global Reference Hub on Community-Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA) in Detention.
After the presentations, a space to discuss and interact with the presenters and other MHPSS practitioners will be facilitated.
Whether you’re a mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) practitioner, humanitarian worker, Red Cross or Red Crescent staff or volunteer - or just someone interested in MHPSS - this webinar is for you.
Background:
Psychological first aid (PFA) is an entry point to assist people in acute distress. It is a simple, yet powerful way of supporting someone, to feel calm, safe, supported, and to link to more specialized support if this is needed. Learning PFA skills and understanding reactions to crises empowers the helper to assist others and to apply the same skills to their own crises. Everyone can learn PFA skills, including staff and volunteers who are responding to humanitarian needs as well as at-risk communities themselves. The PFA for all pledge has been active for two and a half year since the adoption in December 2019.
The signatories have pledged to:
- Advocate for attention to mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian response, including the importance of psychological first aid capacity and attention to the protection and wellbeing of staff and volunteers in relevant policy fora.
- Ensure that all staff members, managers and (where applicable) volunteers are trained in psychological first aid as relevant to their situation, sector and role.
- Training of community members, in communities at risk, in psychological first aid as relevant to their situation.
- Integrate psychological first aid principles in First Aid trainings.
- Strengthen existing or build new systems for developing PFA skills and capacities, and provide mentoring and supervision, including at local level.
Trauma Informed PFA:
Based on the understanding that PFA should be trauma-informed, the next online PFA pledge meeting will focus on PFA and complex reactions and situations.
Presenters from Irish and Danish Red Cross will speak about:
- PFA and complex reactions and situations in prison environments
- a new PFA module on complex reactions and situations that has been field tested in Ukraine in the spring of 2023.
Presenters from Danish and Irish Red Cross will speak about:
- PFA and complex situations reactions and situations in prison environments
- a new PFA module on complex reactions and situations that has been field tested in Ukraine in the spring of 2023.
Next participants will discuss their views on the needs for additional modules and trainings in PFA dealing with complex reactions and situations and can also share what has been developed in this context in the National Societies.