Interactive Lecture as part of Minor Humanitarian Management

Marleen van Klingeren I marleen@grenswerk.org I www.grenswerk.org

Question:

What do you think you need when you’re going on deployment? What knowledge, which skills? Which competencies would be helpful and which would not?

Question:

Why is security a growing issue for aid workers? What makes us more vulnerable to violence?

Attacks on aid workers are increasingly politically motivated, reflecting a broad targeting of the aid enterprise as a whole

Crowding of humanitarian space Loss of perception of neutrality, impartiality and

non political (independence) Perception by belligerents of aid agencies being

‘wealthy targets’: assets

• Attacks against aid workers have increased sharply since 2006, with a particular upswing in kidnappings

• Downturn in violence against aid workers (2009-2010)

Country Incidents

Afghanistan 298

Sudan 164

Somalia 139

Pakistan 65

Iraq 54

Heat Map 2003 - 2013

https://aidworkersecurity.org/incidents/report/map

Locations

Question: Why is stress an issue in the context of humanitarian management?

Psychological ill health is an important reason for premature departure from overseas assignments

High turnover leads to high costs and negative effects on quality of projects.

Of the respondents experiencing high levels of stress, 40% acted upon their intention to quit their job.

Respondents that received pre-deployment training remained longer that those who had not.

There are factors that mitigate stress and factors that help trigger stress reaction.

Question: How are security and stress related?

Security Stress• Constant life threat • Witnessing atrocities and violence• Ethical dilemma’s • Limited mobility

• Distancing attitude between themselves and the reality; de-humanizing the ‘other’.

• Black and white thinking, leading to either an over identification or a denigration of the population.

• Self‐destruction behaviour with poor diet, excessive intake of alcohol and other substances, or poor health care including unprotected sex.

Stress Security

Carelessness, Inability to think clearly, Risky behaviour

Mapping Risks and Resources

Risk: Threat x Vulnerability

Threat = A danger to you, your organization or your property

Vulnerability = your level of exposure to a particular threat

List or draw the main security risksDiscuss: what can you do to reduce these risks?

Regard the following factors:Do they vary by area, time of day, gender..?/ Are threats different for national staff?

Mapping Risks and Resources

Stress factor = which internal factors (ex. thoughts, personal life) and external factors (ex. colleagues, environment, organisation, culture) may cause tension or worse?

Resources = what makes you feel good? Who or what helps you deal with stress? What gives you the energy to re-charge?

Remember! One person’s stressfactor can be the other person’s resource!

List or draw the main stress factorList or draw the main resources

Risk Reduction

Stress factorsContext Work/Organisation Personal

Bureaucracy Different values and beliefs Continually adjusting to local

context (weather, culture, food) Insecurity

Crime (hijack, robbery) Remnants of conflict still

‘in the air’ Being a target Traffic Threat of natural disaster

Continuous pressure to work/work is never finished

Limited mobility (curfew, bad roads)

Work overload vs. inactivity Limited social life Lack of work-life-balance Luxury vs poverty Over-identification with

target group Living with colleagues

(especially those reporting to you)

Living in isolation Having to do things you’ve

never done before Task or role unclarity ‘Macho’ culture Lack of capacity Lack of preparation Lack of communication with HQ

Lack of understanding among family and friends

Previous traumatic experience ‘Unhealthy’ motivation Ethical dilemma’s (having to lie

or stay silent about atrocities, negotiating with belligerents)

Witnessing atrocities and violence

Having unrealistic expectations (of yourself)

Lack of contact with home Strong need to proof yourself Constant moving from one

country and culture to another Having two lives, two different

realities

What is stress?

“Stress is the state that you experience when you are faced with a challenge, threat, or change and there is a possible imbalance between demands and resources”.

- MSF -

StressorMediator

(Determines the Impact of Stressor)

Coping Reaction

(ways in which stressor is managed)

Appraisal (situation is either harmless or dangerous

Proces of stress

Daily hasslesMajor Life eventHum. Action context:

Conflict Earthquake, war (uncontrollability)

Traumatic events

Nature of the stressor:PredictionControlProximity of the situation Coping resources & methodsSocial SupportOwn past experienceSelf-conceptBiological make-up

Problem focused:Trying to come up with solutionsPositive reframing of the situation Gathering informationMaking a plan of action

Emotion- focused coping Seeking emotional supportDistancing, numbingAvoidingSelf-blame

Coping ReactionMediatorStressor

Appraising (situation is either harmless or dangerous

Cumulative stressIt’s not the large things that send a man to themadhouse. death he’s ready for, ormurder, incest, robbery, fire, flood…no, it’s the continuing series of small tragediesthat send a man to themadhouse…not the death of his lovebut a shoelace that snapswith no time left …

- Charles Bukowski

Boiling Frog Syndrome

How do you respond to pressure?

Manifestations of accumulated stressCognitive

Problems concentrating, worrying, absent minded, difficulty making decisions, lack of inspiration, self-critical thoughts

Emotional

Anxiety, hostility, nervousness, mood swings, feeling powerless, insecure

Behavioral

Problems falling asleep/waking up, working too hard, impulsivity, restless, substance abuse, need to have control

Physical

Heart palpitations, stomach ache, head ache, tiredness, trembling hands, increase of stress hormones (cortisol) leads to greater susceptibility of diseases and changes reaction to stress

Social

Withdrawal, aggression

Signs of stress checklist

From your own experience, what do you recognize?

1. Personal coping

2. Weakest link/manifestation of stress

3. Mediators

CenteringForm of self-management to get yourself together in 3 minutes

A – B – C

Aware

Balance

Center line

It’s a skill, which means it requires practice

Map your Resilience Network

Recap (Quick Reference Card)

Useful websites + readings / references

Readings Resilience of Humanitarian Workers, Pascale Blanchetiere November 2006 Intervention in Occupational Stress Psychological Distress, Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout among International H

umanitarian Aid Workers: A Longitudinal Study.  Auteurs: Cardozo et al. (2012)

To stay and deliver (UN OCHA)

Websites/information https://aidworkersecurity.org/incidents/report/map http://www.grenswerk.org (tips&tools for trainees)

Online/offline training Headington Institute Mindfulness for NGOs Centry for Safety and Development (CSD) RedR Antares Foundation