Course variations

Course summary

This course will help participants: learn about the individuals physical and emotional response to crisis and identify it in the words of crisis victims; learn about the communities experience of crisis and apply learning to a past disaster scenario; learn and practice skills for breaking bad news and to provide psychological first aid on a one-on-one basis and for groups of people; learn about the fears, losses, grief and anger, guilt and shame related to traumatic incidents; learn about the long-term reactions victims may have to crisis and methods of support for them; learn and practice identifying, activating and deploying a crisis response team; identify the procedures and resources which need to be established pre-crisis; learn about how to enter and work in a culture different than own; learn about how children and the elderly experience trauma differently and what special approaches are required to provide age sensitive crisis intervention; identify how crisis responders can be effected by this work and how to take care of themselves and avoid burning out. The 24 hour basic equips graduates, to help groups of affected people to cope with their immediate emotional reactions when a crisis strikes their community, and to plan for longer-term emotional support. The training addresses the theoretical foundations of community crisis response, teaches skills for working with victims and survivors, response management as well as educating participants about special issues or populations such as working cross-culturally, addressing spiritual issues, and tailoring services for children and the elderly. To prepare individuals in the community context to respond to a traumatic incident which affects the community-at-large, in a manner this contains the impact of the event and initiates reconstruction and healing. This course is suitable for counsellors, private practice practitioners, social workers, teachers, childcare providers, community workers, health workers, police, emergency service personnel, psychologists, clergy, humanitarian aid workers, criminal justice professionals, human resource professionals. Participants who meet 75 per cent class attendance will be awarded a Certificate of Completion by The National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), in collaboration with the Academy of Human Development.

Program modules

Course contents: Orientation to Crisis Response Teams; Trauma Experience: Internal Reactions; Trauma Experience: External Reactions; Crisis Intervention; Group Crisis Intervention; Death, Loss and Grief; Death Notifications; Long Term Stress Reactions; Post Trauma Resources; Spiritual Dimensions in Crisis; Coordinating a Community Crisis Response Team; Local Planning; Group Crisis Intervention Simulation; Cultural Issues in Crisis; Special Issues of Age; Stress of Caregivers.

Qualification

Certificates

Awarding body

National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), US