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Disasters affect people individually and collectively in their communities, national societies, and the international sphere and in any setting from the home to the planetary level. Furthermore, these disasters can be complex, multi-layered and what happens in one location can affect sentient beings elsewhere directly and/or indirectly. These create interdependencies between people, the flora, fauna, and physical environment that require the holistic, transdisciplinary approaches to disasters that are advocated by green social work perspectives.Using case studies drawn from practice and research to explore the skills and knowledge needed by social workers to practice within disaster situations, this book illustrates what good social work practice during times of disaster looks like. It highlights the theories, skills and expertise needed to intervene effectively in specific disaster situations and provides case studies as a major vehicle for considering ethical dilemmas and skills sets that facilitate interventions in specific disasters. Part One focuses on disasters that afflict the UK where social workers may be part of the emergency response including floods, droughts, cold-snaps, windstorms, storm surges, fires, chemical discharges, terrorism and Covid-19. And, given the interdependent nature of disasters, this section also draws upon knowledge from the international sphere to show how the local and global are interlinked. Part Two considers disasters that dominate in other parts of the world, but which have impacts upon the UK, either because its personnel go overseas to provide humanitarian aid, or because the victim-survivors of such disasters seek sanctuary in/migrate to the UK. These disasters include refugees from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, armed conflict and climate change. The ethical dilemmas that social workers face during all disasters are particularly poignant in the case of asylum seekers and refugees.This book will be of interest to all social work professionals, practitioners in emergency and health settings working with social workers, academics and students both in the UK and around the world.

Imtiaz Sooliman, a medical doctor practising in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, visited a Shaikh in Istanbul in 1992. The Sufi teacher gave him a message that would dramatically change the lives of countless people.'To my absolute astonishment he told me I would help people for the rest of my life. He then instructed me to form a humanitarian organisation called the'Gift of the Givers,'and repeated the phrase'the best among people are those who benefit mankind.'Almost 30 years later Gift of the Givers, Africa's largest humanitarian and disaster agency, has a reputation for speedy responses to floods, war, famine, fires, tsunamis, kidnapping, and earthquakes. Well known for their interventions in South African and international disasters, teams of volunteers have undertaken missions to places such as Bosnia, Palestine, Japan, Haiti, Indonesia, Malawi, and Mozambique. They have put up hospitals, run clinics, dug wells, drilled boreholes, built houses, offered scholarships, and provided shelter, food, and psychological succour to millions.

Social workers are increasingly engaged in supporting individuals and communities in long-term disaster recovery. Rebuilding Lives Post-Disaster brings together an international team of social work researchers who have investigated the experiences, perspectives, challenges, and complexities in disaster recovery. It features country case studies drawing from field research undertaken in disaster-affected communities in Canada, the United States, Australia, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and China. In so doing, the volume provides a comprehensive perspective on the realities of disaster recovery and explores key concepts such as resilience, community-based disaster risk reduction, and social and gendered construction of vulnerability and capabilities. Undergraduate and graduate students and professionals in the fields of social work, community development, international social work, emergency management, and related fields will find the text to be a helpful resource.

Disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity across the world, causing significant destruction to individuals and communities. Yet many social workers are ill-prepared for the demands of this field of practice. This book discusses the role of social workers in disaster work, including in disaster-preparedness, during the disaster and in post-disaster practice. It addresses the complexities of social work disaster practice, noting the need for social workers to understand the language of trauma and to respond effectively. The authors discuss disaster theory and practice, drawing out elements of practice at macro-, meso- and micro-levels and at various stages of the disaster. They examine the factors that shape vulnerability in disasters and draw out the possibility of post-traumatic growth. The final section discusses strategies for self-care in disaster practice, noting the organisational and personal strategies that can be adopted to facilitate the wellbeing of workers in the field.With real-life case studies from top scholars in the field, this book is essential reading for social work practitioners working in the field of disaster practice, as well as social work students and academics. It will also be useful to other health professionals who wish to understand this field of practice.

This book discusses the interconnected, complex and emerging risks in today's societies and deliberates on the various aspects of disaster risk reduction strategies especially through community resilience and responses. It consists of selected papers presented at the World Congress on Disaster Management, which focused on community resilience and responses towards disaster risk reduction based on South Asian experiences, and closely examines the coordinated research activities involving all stakeholders, especially the communities at risk. Further, it narrates the experiences of disaster risk-reduction in different communities that have policy implications for mitigation of future disaster risks in the societies affected by these types of disasters. Written from the social science perspective to disasters rather than an engineering approach, the book helps development and governance institutions to prioritize disasters as a problem of development rather than being parallel to it.

Disaster strikes, transforming cities and towns into graveyards and wastelands in a matter of minutes. But help is on its way: news channels and social media relay the information to all corners of the globe in real-time, mobilising hundreds of people and organisations to aid. Yet, with standard relief packages regardless of the location, and a lack of effort taken to match volunteers'skills with tasks, just how effective are we at helping others?Many people want to do good, but they like to do it at their convenience. These attempts at helping often fail, and the blame invariably falls on the disaster victims, rather than looking at the suitability of aid provided. Such help, offered without a thorough understanding of the context or the impact of actions, can create situations that leave the victims worse off than before.So how can we create real sustainable impact?Most communities have a lot of unused human capacity. When offering help, many aid providers fail to engage the local communities, thus excluding a critical group of people with the knowledge of local ways and needs.This book elaborates on a simple principle essential to effective aid — Never Help: Engage, Enable, Empower and Connect.It is important that we fully understand the problem before we try to solve it, and who better to help us with solutions than the local community?

'Ich will helfen!'Das denken sich viele angesichts der Situation zahlloser geflüchteter Menschen, die in anderen Ländern Schutz suchen müssen. Und sie stellen sich die Frage: Wie gehe ich richtig mit traumatisierten Menschen um? Wie baue ich ein Vertrauensverhältnis auf? Und wie kann die Begegnung funktionieren? Das vorliegende Buch widmet sich genau jenen Fragen, ist Ratgeber und Leitfaden für freiwillige und ehrenamtliche HelferInnen und bietet Grundlage für einen funktionierenden Umgang mit geflohenen Menschen. Auf einfache und verständliche Weise vermittelt die Autorin Barbara Preitler Grundwissen zur Traumatisierung und Flucht aus psychologischer Sicht und zeigt Möglichkeiten zum Verständnis und für Handlungsmöglichkeiten in der zwischenmenschlichen Begegnung auf. Ziel ist es, Mut zu machen, die Begegnung zu wagen, und Beziehungen zwischen Menschen aus verschiedenen Kulturen und mit verschiedenen Lebensgeschichten zu ermöglichen.

Offers the most current, evidence-based information for helping specific populations affected by disastersVulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by large-scale disasters. This hands-on resource for students and professionals in social work, counseling, nursing, and mental health encompasses the best and most current evidence-based interventions for effectively responding to the needs of vulnerable populations following disasters. Using an all-hazards perspective, the book also provides a dedicated section containing population-specific personal preparedness considerations and discusses the role of preparedness in mitigating negative consequences. The resource is unique in its provision of vital information for locating requisite assessment tools, preparedness checklists, and forms. It also provides a list of mobile applications offered through national organizations.The resource addresses the specific psychosocial needs of vulnerable populations after a disaster. It delivers best practices for crisis intervention with specific populations including children, older adults, people with disabilities, people with mental health issues, and people with substance abuse issues. The authors present a theoretical foundation for understanding disasters, response systems, common guidelines for preparedness, and basic crisis theory. This is a resource that will be valuable not only to practitioners in a great variety of health disciplines, but also to volunteer professionals and paraprofessionals involved in disaster preparedness and response. Case vignettes are included in each chapter to illustrate issues particular to each populationKey Features: Offers the highest quality, best available evidence for choosing appropriate interventionsFocuses on vulnerable populations including children, older adults, and people with disabilities, mental health issues and substance abuse issuesComprises a practical, hands-on manual for mental health and medical professionals and volunteers regarding disaster preparedness and responseProvides assessment tools and preparedness checklists and formsIncludes case vignettes to illustrate issues specific to each population

What is the relationship between social work and the state? Who controls which services needs are addressed and how? This important book looks at social work responses in different countries to extreme social, economic and political situations in order to answer these questions. Examples include: war situations, military regimes, earthquakes and Tsunamis. The results show the innovative nature of grass-roots provision and social work intervention and will be of interest to all social work academics, students and professionals.

Destiné à ces intervenants qui doivent aider des individus à surmonter leurs difficultés et à développer des stratégies d'adaptation,ce livre étudie les enjeux individuels, collectifs ou sociaux des catastrophes.