Psychosocial Support Program Training Series –Manual # 4

SCHOOL BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL

SUPPORT TRAINING
FOR TEACHERS

Dr. Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz

Ms. Sujata Bordoloi
Dr. Sibananda Mishra
Ms. Anjana Rajesh
Dr. Satyabrata Dash
Smt. Indrani Mishra

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SCHOOL BASED PSYCHOLOGICAL
SUPPORT TRAINING
FOR TEACHERS

Dr. Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz

Ms. Sujata Bordoloi
Dr. Sibananda Mishra
Ms. Anjana Rajesh
Dr. Satyabrata Dash
Smt. Indrani Mishra

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This manual has been produced with technical and financial contribution of the American Red Cross.
The authors are responsible for the views expressed herein. This Manual is an adaptation of Curso
Seguridad Escolar: Planes de Leccion Manual developed by Ramirez with the financial support of the
Oficina de Asistencia para Desastres en America Latina y el Caribe (Office of Foreign Disaster
Assistance, OFDA-LAC) and the Partners of the Americas. The original manuals used widely in the
Americas have saved many lives. We hope that this Manual will provide timely information to
teachers, students, and parents so that crises may be dealt with in a timely manner and wisely.

The following people are acknowledged for the development of this manual:

Technical Lead: Dr. Joseph. O. Prewitt. Diaz

Editorial and Adaptation: Ms. Sujata Bordoloi
Dr. Sibananda Mishra
Ms. Anjana Rajesh
Dr. Satyabrata Dash
Smt. Indrani Mishra
Illustrations: Ms. Manasi Mewari
Printing coordination: Ms. Mridu Rattan
Field testing for cultural applicability: Ms. Prachi Mehta, Education Specialist
(Gujarat DMH Program)
Dr. Sibananda Mishra Education Specialist
(Orissa DMH Program).

This manual is dedicated to the millions of people of India who have experienced crises and have
overcome their grief and losses. They have moved from victims to victors.

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 CONTENTS

TITLE Page No.

Introduction: 6
How to use the manual ? 7
Lesson plans for Module I: Disasters, crises and Emergencies 9
Types of disaster 12
The elements of crisis 14
Psychosocial needs 16
Preparing schools for disaster, crisis and emergencies 18
Risk and resources mapping 19
What is risk reduction 22
Annex 1.1 28
Session Guidelines for Module I 30
Lesson plans for Module II: The school crisis response plan 31
What is school crisis response plan ? 33
Steps to prepare a school crisis response plan 35
What is school crisis response committee 40
What is school crisis response teams 42
Psychological First Aid Team 44
Response plan checklist 46
Annex 2.1 48
Session Guidelines for Module II 50
Annex 2.2 51
Lesson Plan for Module III:
Resiliency in children: Role of Teacher 57
Common stress reactions in children 58
Recognizing the ability of children and adolescents to deal with crisis 62
Helping children and adolescents to become resilient in school 67

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Annex 3.1 74
Session Guidelines for Module III 76
Lesson Plan for Module IV:
Stress Management and self care for Teachers 77
Stress in school 80
Self-care for teachers and volunteers 81
Spiritual self-care 82
Importance of self-care 85
Annex 4.1 87
Session Guidelines for Module V 89
Lesson Plan for MODULE V: PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID 91
Relevance of PFA for disaster, emergency and crisis 92
Individual Factors 95
The concept of distress and stress 95
Importance of non-verbal communication 99
Implementation of PFA 104
Guidelines for accepting the feelings of the survivor 107
General principles of PFA 109
Annex 5.1 113
Organization of emotional support brigade 114
Roles of a brigade before the disaster 117
Annex 5.2 119
Session Guidelines for Module V 120

Lesson Plan for MODULE VI: TEACHING METHODS 122

Training and information 124
Elaboration of a lesson plan 126
How do we use our visual aid 131
Furniture and equipment 133
Methods for evaluation 137
Annex 6.1 140
Session Guidelines for Module VI 142
Annex 6.2 144

References 145

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 INTRODUCTION

GOAL OF THE COURSE:

Develop the capacity to prepare for crisis, emergencies and disasters in the school and prevent the
damages caused.
OBJECTIVES:
• Describe crisis, disasters and emergencies.
• Explain the importance of assessing risks and resources in schools.
• Define the guidelines to prepare school crisis response plans.
• Promote resilience in children and adolescents.
• Plan classroom activities that can develop resilience in children.
• Explain the importance of stress and self care for teachers.
• Teach basic skills to deliver psychological first aid.
• Elaborate the basic methods of teaching.

COMPONENTS:

 MODULE I: DISASTERS, CRISES AND EMERGENCIES IN SCHOOLS

 MODULE II: THE SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN

 MODULE III: RESILIENCY IN CHILDREN: ROLE OF TEACHERS

 MODULE IV: PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID FOR TEACHERS

 MODULE V: STRESS MANAGEMENT AND SELF CARE FOR TEACHERS

 MODULE VI: TEACHING METHODS

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:
After attending the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Distinguish with examples between crises, disasters and emergencies

2. Prepare a risks and resources map of the school
3. Prepare a School Crisis Response plan.
4. Establish Crisis Response Teams composed of teachers and students
5. Recognize at least five symptoms that show emotional distress in children
6. Adopt at least two participatory methods to help children’s self-expression
7. Practice at least one method of self-care.
8. Identify and carry out at least three psychological support activities in the school.
9. Enumerate at least five principles of PFA.
10. Deliver the five steps of PFA.
11. Define and use at least three techniques of training.

In each of the expected outcomes, the participants should reach a performance level of at
least 70% in the post-tests.

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 HOW TO USE THE MANUAL ?

The methodology used in the modules is participative and interactive, with more emphasis on
brainstorming, group work, role-plays and the workshop method rather than lectures and
presentations. Energizers are activities that are meant to recharge the group when they might be tired
or losing concentration. Procedures are given as a guideline to conduct each of the activities.

 Suggestions for making the Training more effective.

 Read each module carefully before implementation.
 Keep number of participants for each session from 10 to 15, ideally.

Evaluation of the participants’ performance is based upon the pre test at the beginning and post test
at the end of each module. The evaluation aims to measure the degree of information and knowledge
that has been received and processed on the topic. The pre test and post test evaluations are
important methods by which the effectiveness of the modules can be measured and whether the
objectives of each module have been achieved at the end.

The method adopted to present the module is based on experiential learning, which encourages
participation and interaction and creates a relationship within the group. The process facilitates
discussion on the topic and aims to establish a participatory process of work between the facilitator
and the participants.

The planned duration of the six modules is 56 hours.

For better learning and assimilation
Phase I ____ Module I , II and III
Phase II____ Module IV,V and VI
Phase II should be covered within two months. It need not be a Module a day. Lesson plans to be
made by the instructor as per the requirements of the class.

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 LESSON PLAN FOR ALL MODULES

OBJECTIVE OF THE SESSION: (see page no. 6)

SUGGESTED TIME : 8 HOURS (including lunch and tea break)

SUGGESTED TECHNIQUES
- Brainstorming
- Lecture
- Group work
- Role plays
- Exercises

MATERIALS TO USE:
Pens, paper, pencil, eraser, slide, flip charts, participants’ handbook.

PRELIMINARY DETAILS
- Greet the participants and introduce yourself and your colleague.
- Distribute the material (notebooks, pens, handouts) to participants.
- Ask the participants to introduce themselves.
- Ask the participants to write down their expectations about the course.
- Give the pre-test to the participants
- Give an introduction about the objectives of the course.
- Start the presentation
- At the end give the post-test to the participants.

EXPECTED OUTCOME: (see page no. 6)

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 Lesson plan
MODULE I
DISASTERS, CRISES AND EMERGENCIES

INTRODUCTION:

Elaborate on the objectives.

(1) Define disaster and crisis

(2) Outline the cycle of disasters

(3) Assess and prepare a map of risks and resources in the school

(4) Discuss the risk reduction steps in each phase of a disaster

Expected outcome:

The participants will be able to

1. Define disasters, crises and emergencies with examples

2. Describe the stages of the cycle of disasters
3. Prepare a map of five risks and resources of a selected school
4. Name at least two risk reduction activities to be undertaken in each stage of a disaster.

Pre- Test (refer Annex 1.1)

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1. WHAT is a DISASTER, CRISIS or EMERGENCY ?

Activity 1:

Define a disaster, crisis and emergency

Procedure:
1. Give three cards to each of the participants and ask them to write a definition of
crisis, disaster and emergency in each.
2. Put a large poster on the board with a man, a woman and a child saying “ a
disaster is”, “a crisis is”, and “an emergency is”.
3. Put up each of the definitions that the participants came up with under the
figures.
4. Put up the definitions provided by you.
5. Brainstorm on the examples of each of them and write them on individual cards.
6. Stick the cards under the def of each term.

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 EMERGENCY DISASTER CRISIS
Def: A sudden unforeseen Def: An occurrence Def: A crisis can be
event (usually involving disrupting the normal defined as an event
danger), which requires conditions of existence and that exceeds a
immediate action. causing a level of suffering person’s ability to
that exceeds the capacity of cope with the present
adjustment of the affected time.
community (WHO, 2002).

Activity 2.

Exercise on disaster, crisis, and emergency

1. Divide participants intoExamples:
Examples: two groups. Examples:
2.
Fires Make cards with the following
Epidemicsexamples written on them A child losing one of
Dust storms 1.Riots
Earthquake his/her parents or family
Heavy rains 2.Earthquakes
Floods members
Food poisoning 3. Fires
Floods A child suffering from an
Snake bites or other insect 4.Cyclone
Dust storms illness or disability
bites and sting 5. Food poisoning
Bomb blast in the school A child belonging to a
Physical injuries while 6.Road, Snake rail
bites or otherindustrial
and insect bitespoor
andfamily
stings
playing 7.accidents
Epidemics A child being punished at
8.Pollution
Riots school
9. A child losing one of his/her parents or not able to make
A child
family members friends
10. Physical injuries while playing Family problems
11. A child suffering from an illness or disability
12. Cyclones
13. Bomb blasts
14. A child belonging to a poor family
15. Road, rail and industrial accidents
16. A child being punished at school
17. A child not able to make friends
18. Pollution
19. Family Problems
20. Heavy rains

3. Shuffle the cards and distribute 10 cards to each group. As them to identify which
is a disaster, which a crisis and which an-emergency..
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4. Explain why they fall into the respective categories.
 (Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module I Q. 1a,b)
1.1. Types of Disaster:
Disasters can occur by a natural phenomenon or be caused by human beings.

-- Natural disaster. Events, which are unexpected and unavoidable because they occur without
warning and are caused by natural forces are called natural disasters. They are threats that cannot
be practically controlled. However, floods, droughts and landslides can be controlled or reduced by
civil works, such as dams, planting of trees and preparing for disasters in the school and the
community.

Examples of natural disaster are:

• Disasters caused by human beings. Events, which cause serious

Damage to life and property and occur due to human negligence or
Carelessness.

Examples of human made disasters are:

- Bomb blasts
- Fires
- Road, rail and industrial accidents
- Pollution
- Riots

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 Fire in the school building is an emergency

1.2 Common reactions to a crisis:

Activity 3:

Experience sharing
1. Give each participant 5 minutes to think about an event in their life, which
they see as a crisis.
2. Let each member share the following:
a) How did you feel?
b) What did you do?
c) Who or what helped you cope?
3. Explain that crisis is a personal event. It affects the individual in different
ways. Anyone can have a crisis. It is not necessarily a mental illness.

( Visual Illustrate the following reactions)

1. Shock , disbelief and denial - “I cannot believe this is happening to me.”

2. Fear – “ I am scared of the dark.”
Anger – “Nobody is doing anything for us.”
3. Confusion- “ I don’t know what to do “
4. Guilt – “ If only I was at home when it happened, I could have saved.”
5. Anxiety is expressed by headaches, stomachaches, excessive sweating.)

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1.3. The elements of crisis :

EVENT

CRISIS

CAPACITY TO INTERVENTION
COPE

Event: Crisis begins with a precipitating situation that affects the capacity of an individual to function
normally. The inherent ways in which an individual deals with a situation and the nature of
intervention or support that s/he gets contributes to a crisis.

Capacity to cope: Is the ability of the individual to handle a crisis situation. Different people have
different ways in which s/he deals with a crisis.

Intervention: The help that the individual receives from the outside environment influences the way
in which s/he will be able to handle a crisis.
An event becomes a crisis depending on the above mentioned factors and also the previous
life experiences of the individual.

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module I Q. 2 a, b, c.)

“A DISASTER IS A COMMUNITY EVENT WHILE A CRISIS IS A

PERSONAL EVENT”

( Visual - Bomb blast )

“A DISASTER CAN BE A CRISIS”

( Visual – survivor mother/father next to dead child)

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 2. Disaster Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

2.1 What is Disaster Mental Health ?

A field of practice designed to help the survivors (and the relief workers who rush to their aid)
learn to effectively cope with the extreme stresses they will face during and in the aftermath of
a disaster. (Weaver, 1996)

Disaster Mental Health is helping people to come together and respond collectively to a crisis or
disaster event.

2.2. What is Psychosocial Support ?

Activity 4:
Role Play:
Scenario: A child sees his father mistreating his wife one morning. He goes to
school. How will the child behave in school?
Guidelines:
1. Ask three volunteers to come forward.
2. Two of the volunteers will play the child and his classmate. The child will be
aggressive and fight with the other. He will not listen to the teacher.
3. The third will be the teacher.
Guidelines for discussion:
1. How did the child feel ?
2. Why did the child behave that way ?
3. Do you think the thoughts and feelings of the child are a cause for his
behaviour in school ?

PSYCHO refers to the inner person – his or her feelings, thoughts, values and beliefs.

SOCIAL refers to the person’s external relationships with the people in his/her environment.

The ‘internal’ (Psycho) and the ‘external’ (Social) interact and influence each
other (Annan, Castelli, Devreux, Locatelli, 2003).

For example, the child in the role play is aggressive and rebellious in school because he is
angry with his parents. He has possibly seen violence at home. He needs to express his anger
towards his parents. The teacher can allow him to ventilate his feelings. The psychosocial
support he needs is to receive comfort from his teacher.

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 The cycle of support

2.3. Psychosocial Needs:

Activity 5:

Exercise on Needs : On the basis of the following questions -

1. What needs do we have in our daily life ?
2. What are the things that we need to become healthy, functioning and
happy human beings ?
3. What needs do children and adolescents have ?
4. What needs do adults have ?
The participants will be divided into 3 groups.. One member from each
group will present the important needs of a person according to their
stage of life. After the presentations of each group leader, the instructor
will discuss the relevance of the needs as per the different categories.
Guidelines for discussion:
1. Are your needs the same as your desires? For example, Food is a need,
to own a house is a desire based on the need to have independence, self-
respect.
2. Can you differentiate between your material, social and psychological
needs ?
3. Do you tend to forget about your emotional needs ?

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We can differentiate our needs in the following categories:

Material Social Psychological

Food Family Parental love and care

Shelter Friends/neighbors Values/beliefs
Clothing School Spiritual guidance
Medical Care Religious groups Sense of belonging
Security/protection Cultural groups Recognition
Money/assets Community activities Respect
Independence
Love/companionship
Responsibilities
Peace
Unity
Freedom

(Adapted from Annan, Castelli, Devreux, Locatelli (2003). Handbook for Teachers. AVSI:
Uganda)

To be happy, every individual needs love and care as much as food and a house to live in.
A child grows up and is influenced by the interactions s/he has with peers, family
members, teachers, and neighbours. Her/his needs of love, affection, acceptance are met
through these interactions.

Psychosocial needs of a child are dependent on the way s/he communicates the need, the
way it is received and the response s/he gets. This can influence his/her behaviour and the
way the child’s inner strengths are developed.

For example,

Needs Communication Positive Response Inner Strength

Friends Trying to do small things for Given small tasks and Social skills
Teachers and friends responsibilities Confidence

(Visualize above points in a panel of four pictures)

Brainstorm
1. Can you share some experience where children have expressed a
need?
2. What was the behaviour, which expressed the need ?
3. Do you think you have been able to identify psychosocial needs in any
of your students ?
4. What are some of the psychosocial needs that you as a teacher have ?
(Refer to Participants Handbook Module I Q.3,4.)

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 4. PREPARING SCHOOLS for Disasters, Crisis and emergencies

Gunjan (name changed) was the brightest student in the school. She was
asked to hoist the Indian flag on Independence Day in the assembly. As she
stood at the dais, there was a terrible noise and a big piece of the school roof
fell on Gunjan. The entire school, all her friends and classmates watched
Gunjan die under that piece of concrete and metal.
To this day, two years after the Gujarat earthquake, the children in the school
have not been able to forget the incident.

Disasters, Crises and emergencies can affect a school at anytime. Preparedness in school is very
important because children need a supportive and protected environment in school wherein they are
able to feel safe. A ‘protective’ environment comprises a positive, secure interaction with other
children, parents and teachers, access to education and health services and the space to express
feelings.

Preparedness would develop the school’s capacity to (1) support the children who have faced a crisis
situation (2) respond to the situation with planned immediate steps (3) minimize the losses or damage
caused.

The culture of preparing can be developed if the school community accepts the fact that
emergencies, crises and disasters are inevitable.

Preparedness CHECKLIST

 Risk and resource mapping

 Planning
 Response Teams
 Warning and alert systems
 Resource base
 Communication and Information
 Rehearsals and mock drills
 Public education and training
(Refer to Participants’ Handbook module Q 5,6.)

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 Risk and Resource Mapping

3.1. What are risks and resources ?

Risks and resources are some physical and psychological factors, which exist in
The school and make it more vulnerable or help it in responding better during and
After a crisis/disaster situation. The damages caused by a crisis event can be greatly
Reduced or avoided if the school has knowledge about the risks and resources, which
It can control before the event.

RISKS -
Risks are elements in the school and in its immediate external environment, which can cause a crisis
or emergency in the school or reduce its ability to respond to the event.

For example, If the school is located near a busy road, it is a risk for small
children. The risk has the scope of becoming a crisis if a child gets hurt while
crossing the road.

Threats are external factors of risk, represented by the potential occurrence of a natural or
human made crisis in a given place, at a given time.

For example, teachers who are not regular in coming to school and attending to the children
are a threat.

Vulnerability is an internal factor of risk, which makes an individual or community more exposed
to a threat situation.

For example, buildings with large cracks or broken walls are vulnerability in areas where
earthquakes are a threat. (ILLUSTRATION of school building with cracked/broken walls)

RISK = THREAT + VULNERABILITY

RESOURCES -
Resources are elements in the school, which increase or contribute to the school’s capacity to
respond physically and emotionally to an emergency or to adapt to its aftermath.

For example, existence of trained psychological first aid volunteers in the school are a resource
during an emergency.
- Knowledge about risks and resources is important because:
 It will prepare the school community in dealing with crisis events.
 The school community can define what efforts should be made to improve and increase
existing resources.
 The school community can make elaborate plans to reduce risks in schools by knowing what
resources to rely on. Respond to
Prepare for crisis,
crisis, disaster and
disasters and emergencies
emergencies
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 Reduce
Manage
damages,
available school
losses caused
resources and
by disaster,
generate new
crisis and
resources
emergencies

Some examples of risks and resources in the school :

Activity 6 :

Exercise on Risks and Resources

Procedure: Participants will be divided into small groups. They will be
given flipcharts to prepare the risks and resources of their school. Groups will
select a member who will make a presentation of their school.

Guidelines for discussion:

a) What are the resources in your school?

b) Identify five threats in your school.
c) Identify five vulnerabilities in your school.
d) Develop an assessment of risks and resources in your school
e) What suggestions do you have to reduce the risks?
f) Make a note of the suggestions on a flip chart.

Resources Risks

Physical and material factors related to psychological distress

Strong building without cracks. Cracks in the building.

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 Availability of emergency crisis
response kits.
Trained Physical first aiders.
Trained Psychological first aiders.
Identifying safe place for rescue and
evacuation. For example, a corner
within the school compound which is
open.
Geographical location. For
example, is the location of school
prone to earthquakes, distance
from epicenter, open field, canal.
Availability of a vehicle and condition
of roads connecting to nearest village,
or health post.
Past experience in dealing with
crisis/disaster situations. For
example, how well has the school
adapted after the crisis.
Personal factors related to psychological distress
Teachers’ positive interaction with Less teachers compared to number
children and their parents. of students
Participatory method of teaching Directive method of teaching and
and learning learning
Children who have a support
system of guardians, friends and
family
Children brought up in a secure,
protected home environment
Children who are physically healthy
and have not suffered any major
illness prior to the disaster.
Children brought up in a
protected, nurturing
environment
Children who had a normal
lifestyle before the disaster
What is Risk Reduction ?
Absence of emergency crisis response
kits.
Absence of physical first aider.
Absence of psychological first aiders.
Absence of a safe place for rescue and
evacuation.
Geographical location. For example,
close to the epicenter, rivers,
deserts, and other danger points.
Absence of vehicles or proper roads to
the nearest village or health post.
Lack of experience in preparedness,
planning and response.
Children who have experienced
traumatic life events such as loss of
a parent, major disasters.
Children who have been abused
physically or sexually.
Children who have been physically
injured, ill or lost a limb.
Children who have witnessed
violence between adults at home
or in the community.
Children who had mental health
problems (anxiety, depression)
before the disaster.
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Risk reduction is a set of activities or steps, which will prevent the extent of damages caused by
crises. Risk reduction in schools depends on the level of information about threats, vulnerability, and
the resources available in the school.

There cannot be a useful strategy to reduce, prevent or mitigate disasters,

crises or emergencies in the school unless it is based on an assessment of
risks and resources.

(Refer to Participant’s Handbook Module-I Q 7)

RISK REDUCTION according to the Cycle of disasters:

Before:

• Prevention
• Mitigation
• Preparation
• Warning

During:
• Response

After:
• Rehabilitation
• Reconstruction

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1. Warning: The process of monitoring the threats in high-risk areas. It is the state of alert when
the disaster is imminent. This is the period when prior preparedness plans have to be put into
practice to offer timely support, relief and minimize loss.

2. Event: This period is the first twenty-four (24) hours when the disaster is occurring.

3. Response: This period is between 0-96 hours after the disaster has occurred. This period is
when relief such as food, shelter, water, medicines and psychological support are provided.

4. Rehabilitation: This period extends up to 1 year after the disaster has occurred. In this phase,
the relief is stopped and emphasis is on rebuilding the community and school life to its pre-
disaster situation.

5. Reconstruction: This period extends from 3-5 years after the disaster has occurred.
However, psychological reconstruction of individuals who have suffered in disasters is a life
long process. This phase lays emphasis on building the capacity of the school and community
to withstand and face crises and disasters.

6. Prevention: This is a long-term process, which involves activities that reduce the risks and
psychological vulnerability of the community and school and strengthen the existing resources.

7. Mitigation: This phase includes long-term preparedness and risk reduction measures taken
prior to the occurrence of a disaster.

8. Preparedness: Activities carried out to minimize loss of life and damage, organize the
temporary removal of people and property from a threatened location and facilitate timely
rescues, relief and rehabilitation.
( Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module Q 9 )

Activity 7:
Exercise on Warning
Resources – Two ropes, spacious room
Procedure – Divide the participants into two groups. Two groups will stand in two
lines facing each other and maintaining some space in between. Two ropes will be
placed in that space on the ground parallel to each other. The area between one
rope and the participant group on that side, will be known as “Hall” the corresponding
space on the other side will be known as “Playground”. The participants are to rush
to the place as per the command given by the instructor.
Continue the activity for 20 minutes at least. Till all are fully alert and follow the
warning.

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3.4. Risk reduction steps to be taken in each stage:

WARNING

1. Define signals to be used as an alert. Signals should

be:
 Clear, a simple and precise information

 Within reach, it should be spread by all the available

Risk media and understood by the school community. For
reduction example, the school bell can be used as an alarm.
activities
 Immediate, The information should be given out
without delay as soon as the crisis event has
occurred or news of it is received.

 Coherent, It should be easy to understand. The

volunteers, staff and students should immediately
know what to do.

 Official, should be given by authorized or reliable

sources.

2. Monitor threats and control rumours about the disasters

RESPONSE

1. Search and rescue of persons affected.

2. Evacuation from unsafe zones.

Risk 3. Psychological First Aid hand in hand with Physical First

reduction Aid.
activities
4. Temporary accommodation and supply of food and
clothing.

5. Transfer of survivors to safe area.

6. Assessment of damages.

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 REHABILITATION

1. Repair of damaged school structure or renovation of

existing school structure.
Risk 2. Resume schooling activities.
reduction
activities 3. Use non-formal methods of education such as games and
art to help children express themselves.

RECONSTRUCTION

1. Establish a structure of school crisis preparation and

response at the district and local levels.

2. Promote resilience through classroom based activities

Risk
reduction 3. Generate awareness about stress and stress reactions
activities among school community

4. Have functioning crisis response teams in place with well-

defined roles and responsibilities of the members.

5. Develop a long-term crisis preparation and response plan.

6. Include psychological support training module into teacher

training programs

7. Include crisis response planning and response into school

curriculum

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 PREVENTION
1. Repair of damaged classrooms.
2. Set up guidelines for response activities
Risk 3. Generate awareness among the school community
reduction on preparedness, immediate response activities
activities 4. Promote resilience through classroom based
activities
5. Generate awareness about stress and stress
reactions among school community

MITIGATION

1. Set up teams and procedures to prepare map of risks and

resources existing in the school.
Risk
reduction 2. Training of staff, teachers and students on risk reduction
activities activities

3. Crisis response kits in every classroom

PREPAREDNESS

1. Prepare map of risks and resources

•
2. Prepare school crisis response plan

Risk 3. Set up crisis response teams

reduction
activities 4. Define how the state of alarm and warning will be
communicated to the school community.

5. Determine the safe places where the school community will

be evacuated.

6. Conduct regular mock drills and evacuation exercises

7. Organize Crisis Response Kits for every classroom in the


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 school.

( Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module I Q.10.)

Feedback/Homework:
1. Ask one of the participants to revise the day’s topics in brief
2. Welcome participants to share any comments, feedback or raise any doubts and
questions on the topics discussed.
3. Distribute the reading materials. Suggest that participants read Module One of the
Teachers’ training manual.

Demonstration on Search and Rescue by the Competent persons ( Civil defence) to give the teachers practical
knowledge on how to handle school crises or emergencies

Post Test (Annex 1.1 )

(Annex 1.1.)

PRE/POST EVALUATION

Name: ______________________________________ date: _______________

Institute/School:__________________________________________________

Place:___________________________________________________________

Q. Question Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree Don’t

No. Agree Disagree Know

1. A disaster is a
community
event while a
crisis is a

-27
 personal
disaster.
2. A school fire is
an example of
a school
emergency.
3. Riots are
natural
disasters.
4. Crises can be
negative as
well as
positive.
5. Preparedness
in school
includes
functional
warning and
alert systems.
6. The response
stage in a
disaster
comes after
the event.
7. Risks are
combination of
external
threats and
internal
vulnerabilities.
8. Physically
healthy
children are an
example of
risk to the
school.
9 A jungle
nearest to a
school is a
threat for its
safety.
10 Preparedness
activities in the
school must
be undertaken
after a
disaster.

-28
 SESSION GUIDELINES TO MODULE –I

CONTENT ACTIVITY RESOURCES TIME

Welcome Delivery of materials Pens, paper, 20 minutes
Introduction of Presentation pencils 10 minutes
participants 10 minutes
Introduction to
module I
Pre test Test Sheets Annex 1.1 20 minutes
What is Lecture/Branstorm Activity 1 20 minutes
disaster,crisis and Activity 2 20 minutes
emergency ?
Type of disasters Lecture/demostration Activity 3 20 minutes
Common Brainstrom 20 minutes
reactions to crisis 20 minutes
Elements of crisis
Disaster Mental Lecture/Brainstorm Activity 4 20 minutes
Health & Activity 5 20 minutes
Psychosocial
Care

-29
Preparing Schools Lecture/Brainstorm 20 minutes
for disaster, crisis
and emergencies
What is 20 minutes
preparedness?
What are risks Exercise Activity 6 30minutes
and resources ?
Examples of risk
and resources . Exercise Activity 7 30minutes
What is risk
reduction?
Risk reduction
steps in each
stage.
Demonstration on Demonstration 120 minutes
Search and
Rescue
Post Test Test sheets Annex 1.1 20 minutes
Total 7 hrs.20 mnts

-30
 MODULE-II
THE SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN

LESSON PLAN

Introduction : Elaborate on the objectives.

OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING:

1. Define the concept of a school crisis response plan.
2. Explain the components of a school crisis response plan.
3. Identify the functions of a school response committee.
4. Define the functions of school response teams.
5. Prepare a school crisis response plan.

EXPECTED OUTCOME:
The participants will be able to:

-31
 1. Name five components of the school crisis response plan
2. Explain at least two components of the school response committee
3. Prepare a school crisis response plan.
4. Elaborate the functions of the school response teams
5. Organize teachers and students to participate in the school response teams.

Pre- Test (Refer Annex 2.1)

-32
1. What is a SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN ?

A Disaster Response Plan was developed in Anjar after the Kandla

cyclone hit coastal Gujarat in 1999. The children were trained to run
inside or stand against a wall in the event of a disaster. 188 children
and 22 teachers were killed when the Gujarat earthquake struck in
Jan 2001…all those who died had followed what they had practiced
for 2 years…running inside in the event of a disaster!

School Fire kills about 90 children in Kumbakonam -Tamil Nadu

In one of the worst tragedies in the state about 90 school children were
feared killed in a major fire accident in a girls elementary school at
Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. The fire which sparked from the kitchen set
ablaze the thatched roofs, spread rapidly and engulfed the class rooms of
Sri Krishna Higher Secondary School on Kasiram Street, Dharasuram,
Kumbakonam. The children from classes LKG to standard five were
trapped in the flames and perished.

(Derived from www.mapsofindia.com/maps/map in news/2004/kumbakonam-

firehtml-5k-3Aug 2004)

SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE PLANS SHOULD BE SITUATION

SPECIFIC

A school crisis response plan is a list of steps to be taken before, during and
after a crisis event to ensure the safety of the children and teachers.

33 -
 Activity 1

Exercise on matching the cards to make the objectives. The

instructor will distribute certain cards, which will carry part of the message of each
objective. The cards will be shuffled. The participants will therefore get a mixed
lot. They are to pair the parts to make each objective complete. This exercise
will improve the knowledge of the participants about the objectives of the school
crisis response plan.
Brainstorm

The main goal is to help the school community to prepare and respond to a crisis event in a
manner that will reduce the emotional and physical damage caused.

- A school crisis response plan will help the school to:

1. Prepare the school community so that it does not suffer serious or irreparable emotional
and physical injury during and after a crisis event.
2. Provide step-by-step guidelines for the school community on how to respond to a crisis.
3. Prepare schools to plan for response to crisis events.
4. Increase the knowledge and expertise of the school community on preparing and
responding to crisis through training.

1.1. How to prepare a school crisis response plan ?

In order to prepare a school crisis response plan, it is important to list what may
happen in a crisis and how to react. The following questions are important to consider in the
process of planning.

34 -
 Questions to be asked:
1. What types of events would the school define as a crisis?

2. Identify risks and resources in the school.

3. How will the event be handled, by whom and where ?

4. How to identify students who are in need of immediate help ?

5. What steps will be taken by the school before, during and after
a crisis event ?

6. Who will assume what roles and functions in carrying out the
activities before, during and after a crisis event ?

7. What are the resources that will be used and how ?

8. How will parents and community members be informed about

the school crisis situation ?

( Visual The above questions to be written on a blackboard, with a teacher at the side using a
pointer – establish school surrounding)

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-II Q 1 a.)

2. STEPS TO PREPARE A SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN:

A school crisis response plan is a detailed framework within which the school will operate. The
process of developing a plan and implementing it involves specific steps which will help the team to
develop plans in a simple manner.

(Visual - school authorities around a conference table. One person pointing out to plan schedule on
blackboard)

Phase I Phase 2
Motivate Plan
↓ ↓
Diagnose Execute
↓ ↓
Organise Evaluate
↓
Correct
↓
Systematise

35 -
 1. Motivate: This is the initial and most crucial part of beginning the planning process bringing all
the concerned people in the school (administrative, staff and teachers) together on a common
platform to discuss the importance of response planning and preparedness activities for the
school. This activity influences the way the planning will be undertaken by the school and how
well they will work towards developing a response plan.

2. Diagnose: ‘Diagnosis’ is the evaluation of threats and vulnerabilities within the school,
identifying the main problems and needs of the school community. When the diagnosis is
completed it will be possible to:

(Change Visual to one of school premises showing risks, resources, support institutions and
activities.)

a) Prepare a map of risks and resources.

b) Identify the resources available in the school or other institutions that can support the
prevention, mitigation and preparation activities.

c) Identify the strategies of response before, during and after a crisis event.

d) Provide information to the members of the school community on the risks to which they
are exposed and the resources available.

3. Organize: Once the assessment or diagnosis is conducted, it will be possible to:

a) Assess response capabilities of the school based on the available resources.

b) Identify key functions or services required

c) Create a response infrastructure

d) Identify key roles and responsibilities

36 -
 School crisis response team

(Change visual to represent Teachers and students of the school who belong to team)

4. Plan: After the planning is completed, it will be possible to:

a) Prepare a written document that acts as a guide to carry out the activities of
prevention, mitigation and preparation in schools.

b) Define the problems, objectives, activities and resources that will be used. Those
resources should be human and material which they can rely on.

c) Promote the participation of the members of the school community in the improvement of the
plan and in the execution of the activities Decided upon.

Planning

37 -
5. Execute: This is the actual implementation of the plan prepared.
Execution involves:
a) Training staff, students and teachers on crisis response planning

b) Regular mock drills and table top exercises

c) Training of members of the five response teams

d) Regular meetings among the crisis response team members

e) First Aid kits in every classroom.

6. Evaluate: After the evaluation is complete, it will be possible to:

a) Identify the level of progress that has been achieved in the execution of the activities
and propose relevant modifications.

b) Carry out actions of support for activities that have shown positive outcomes.

c) Improve and strengthen the activities that do not meet the objectives.

7. Correct: This stage involves amending the mistakes that one makes in the execution and
evaluation of the plan.

38 -
 8. Systematise: It is an important part of the planning process because it involves developing an
evolved plan, which incorporates lessons learnt, and reorganizes the execution process
accordingly. The entire plan with details of contacts and steps to be taken, should be kept in the
form of an easy reference manual in every school.

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-II Q 1 b.)

3. THE SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS:

School crisis
response committee

Psychological Physical First Damage Evacuation

First Aid Aid Assessment

(Adapted from Ramirez (2001). Curso Seguridad Escolar: Planes de Leccion. Oficina de
Asistencia para Desastres en America Latina y el Caribe).

39 -
3.1. What is a school crisis response committee.
A school crisis response committee is a group of teachers from the school who plan,
coordinate and implement the school crisis response plan.
The response committee adapts a participatory method of planning and executing its functions.

How to form the School Committee for Disasters ?

1.Meeting between the teachers and administration
2Meeting between the teachers and the students.
3.Choose representatives from each group to form a committee.
4.Decide when, where and at what time meetings will be held.
5.Decide the main subjects to be discussed.
6 Decide who will facilitate the meeting.

Activity 2:

Exercise:
1. Divide participants into smaller groups of 3-5 people.
2. Each group will be assigned to one taluka (with approximately 10
schools)
3. Each group will have to form a school crisis response committee.

Guidelines:
The school crisis response committee will have to decide on
1. Who will be the key people?
2. What will be their key responsibilities?
3. Who are the members and how many?
4. What are their duties before, during and after a crisis event?
5. Where will they meet and how often?

3.1. Functions of the School Crisis Response Committee:

- Coordinate
- Communicate
- Mobilize materials
- Monitor
- Evaluate
Suggested Committee Members: Coordinator (Principal or senior teacher), Communications
person, Logistics Person, Team Leaders from the four teams (evacuation, physical first aid,
psychological first aid and damage assessment).

40 -
 Role of the School Crisis Response Role of the Communications Person:
Coordinator  Network with external agencies
 Head the school crisis response such as the Civil Defence, the St.
committee Johns Ambulance, state disaster
mitigation agencies
 Convene meetings
 Act as liaison between the four
 Ensure the crisis response plan is teams regarding stocks and other
implemented requirements

 Sanction budgets for stocks and  Provide regular updates to the

supplies school principal

 Conduct regular meetings with

the four team leaders

 Conduct regular meetings with

parents

 Maintain records of meetings and

prepare reports of updated
information

Role of the Logistics Person

 Take charge of the stocks for all the teams

 Update stocks every six months

 Coordinate the distribution of stocks to each of the teams

 Make arrangement for transport

 Maintain financial tracking of expenditure on stocks

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-II Q2.)

41 -
3.2. What are school crisis response teams ?

School based crisis response teams consist of students and teachers who are responsible for one
aspect of immediate response during and after a crisis event.
Primary and secondary schools in India have limited resources in terms of money and facilities.
When faced with a crisis event, these schools often do not have any means of taking care of their
immediate needs. They are entirely dependent on the relief and rescue teams and the community
members outside the school to come to their rescue and assistance.

School based crisis response teams help students move from being helpless victims to becoming
energized, able victors. These teams help the school to respond to a crisis event and minimize
losses. Although, many special committees and teams are often formed in schools, they soon
become defunct as other activities are given more importance. It is then the responsibility of the
students involved to carry forward the work of the school based crisis response teams by:
- Having regular meetings
- Organizing practice exercises regularly
- Organizing activities that promote the concept of risk reduction and crisis
preparedness.

Activity 3:

Planning during disaster:

Picture of Kumbakonam school building is given. 3 cues are given regarding the
outbreak of fire, its spread and the escape route. Discuss how best the situation
could have been handled. Brainstorm in groups.

1. Evacuation Team (Refer Annex 2.2. For details of role): The members of the evacuation team are
responsible for guiding the school community They plan an exercise to bring together the children
and teachers, other school personnel and take them to a place where they can be safe till the event is
over.
Responsibilities of the Evacuation Team:
• Conducting mock drills every three months
• Develop a detailed evacuation plan with evacuation site, alert systems and evacuation
routes.
• Coordinate with the other teams

42 -
2. Physical First aid Team (Refer Annex 2.2. For details of role): As the name suggests it means to
attend to the injured people during and after a crisis event. The school crisis response team for first
aid should be prepared to provide this assistance by having some basic emergency material such as
bandages or scrap cloth, soap, adhesive tape, matches, candles, thermometer, knife and some toys
and books for children (Refer Annex 2.2. Pg… for suggested materials).

Responsibilities of the Physical First Aid team:

• Decide the place in the school compound where the injured can be kept. For example, in the
situation of a cyclone, locate the nearest shelter.
• Select the students who will receive the basic training in how to provide First Aid.
• Organize the material for the crisis response kits and place them in easy and safe locations
• Coordinate with the Psychological First Aid team.

43 -
3. Psychological First Aid (PFA) Team (Refer Annex 2.2. For details of role): PFA is a brief
intervention during and after a person has undergone a crisis event. It depends on how deeply the
person is affected by the crisis and the level of confusion or disorganization s/he is experiencing.

Responsibilities of the Psychological First Aid Team:

• Meet immediate needs (food, water, medical facilities, clothing and shelter),
• Listen, listen and listen
• Accept feelings expressed by survivors
• Assist with next steps
• Refer and follow up.

4. Damage Assessment Team (Refer Annex 2.2. For details of role): This is an important activity
because it involves finding out the amount of damage that the crisis has caused and what steps need
to be taken to repair the damages. It also involves finding out the number of children and adults
injured or affected in the school.

Responsibilities of the damage assessment team:

• Make a note of loss of property in the entire school
• Survey the school for injured or dead immediately after a disaster
• Make a report of the extent of damage to property and assets in the school
• Coordinate with the other teams

(Could the visual be a little more dramatic?)

44 -
(Refer to Participants’ handbook Module-II Q 3)

Activity 4:
Exercise
Instructions
1. Divide the participants into four groups.
2. Each group will be given a case study.
3. Each group will divide their group into the five teams and discuss their
respective roles in dealing with the situation given in the case study
4. Each team will present two of their functions.
5. They may use role-play or simple presentations.
6. Discuss the roles in the group. Draw out lessons learnt and alternatives.

Activity-5:

Exercise on Individual Intervention Plan:

Participants will be introduced to an everday situation which could turn into a
crisis. Ex. A child is hit on the head by a falling pole while playing in the
playground.. This could become a serious injury. The class teacher is responsible
at the moment. How does s/he
Respond? Who does s/he inform? How is the child taken care of till the parents
come? How are the other children diverted from the stressed situation they may
have faced?
Brainstorm.

45 -
RESPONSE PLAN CHECKLIST

 Details of the school – physical address, total strength, staff members,

teachers, infrastructure
 Crises, emergencies, disasters which the school is vulnerable to
 Map of risks and resources
 Names of the members of the crisis response teams
 Role description of each member and each team
 Details about how training will be delivered to the team members
 Lines of communication to be followed between teams
 A list of alternatives incase a team member is absent
 Names of students and teachers trained in psychological first aid and
physical first aid.
 Location of the evacuation site
 Detailed evacuation plan
 Location of the crisis response first aid kits
 List of organizations and agencies (with names of contact persons,
telephone numbers, addresses) which can provide immediate help in
search and rescue, medical services and others

Activity 6:

Prepare a plan:
Procedure:
1. Divide the group into smaller groups.
2. Each group will have to prepare a CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN of their school
keeping the guidelines discussed in mind.

46 -
 SUGGESTED MATERIAL
FOR CRISIS RESPONSE KITS

First aid kit Comfort kit

Band aids Activity sheets and material

Bleach Blankets or sheets
Cardboard splints Drawing sheets
Cotton wool Games
Dust masks Glue sticks
Elastic band aids Music cassettes
Eye patches Pens, colouring material
First aid books Radio
Gauze Scissors
Gloves Tape rolls
Plastic containers Toys
Scissors Whistles
Tapes Torches with batteries
Thermometer Water
•
Triage tags Water purification tablets
Tweezers
Water in sealed containers

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-II Q 4 & Q 5.)

Feedback/ Homework.
1. Ask one of the participants to revise the day’s topics in brief
2. Welcome participants to share any comments, feedback or raise any doubts and questions on
the topics discussed.
3. Distribute the reading materials

Post test (ANNEX 2.1)

47 -
 (Annex 2.1)

PRE/POST EVALUATION

Name:__________________________________________Date:____________

Institute/School:__________________________________________________

Place:___________________________________________________________

Mark your response in the box :

Q. No Question Strongly Agree Strongly Disagre Don’t

agree disagree e Know
1 A school crisis
response plan
should be
situation
specific.
2. The school
crisis response
plan is
prepared by
the local
governing
body.
3. Evacuation
means to take
care of the
emotional
needs of
children during
a disaster.
4. Teachers,
students
And parents
should be
involved in
developing a
48 -
 response
strategy.
5. The first aid
team works
hand in hand
with the
Psychological
First Aid Team.
6. A response
plan includes a
detailed
evacuation
plan.
7. Children
should be
involved in
developing a
school
response
strategy.
8. Students and
teachers
should receive
training in first
aid.
9. A school crisis
response kit
includes toys
and games for
children.
10. The best
response
Strategy
includes
psychosocial
support
program

49 -
 SESSION GUIDELINES TO MODULE II
CONTENTS ACTIVITY SOURCE DURATION
S
Recap of the Welcome
Previous Discussion 20 mins
Day’s session Presentation of
Introduction module-II 10 mins
To module -II
PRE TEST Annex 2.1 20 mins
1. What school Lecture
crisis response Exercise Activity -1 20 mins
plan ? Energiser 20 mins
Objectives Presentation 30 mins
1.2 Steps to Brainstorm
prepare a school 20 mins
crisis response
plan.

The school crisis

response Teams. Brainstorm
What is school Activity-2 30 mins
crisis response Lecture
committee ? demonstration
Functions of school 30 mins
response Exercise
committee.

What are school Lecture

crisis response demonstration
teams ? Activity-3 20 mins
Functions of school
crisis response Activity-4 20 mins
teams.
Evacuation Team Brainstorm Activity-5 30 mins
Physical First Aid
Psychological First Exercise
Aid
Damage
Assessment
3.2 prepare a
school crisis
50 -
 response plan.
Group work Activity-6 90 mins

Demonstration on
Physical First Aid Lecture
by the Competent 120 minutes
persons Demonstration
POST TEST Annex 2.1 20 mins
TOTAL 8 hrs. 25mins

(Annex 2.2)
TEAM ROLES

Evacuation Team:

Team members: Team leader, student representatives from classes VI-VIII and IX-XII

Team Role Role of the Teacher Role of the student

Before the Determine safe Study the map of risks Know the risks of their
disaster zones and resources and mark class
out safe zones.
Map out routes Class teachers will study Know the routes
and alternative the map of routes and
routes follow it during the mock
drills.
Develop route Teacher will explain the Put up the route maps
maps for each route maps to the chart in each class.
class children in the class.
Set up alert Class teacher will Know the alarms for
system for educate children on each emergency
various what to do when the
emergencies alert is sounded.
Set up system Teacher in charge will
for each class, coordinate with other
for example, teachers to avoid chaos
1. Which class Instruct the children to
will move first move to the safe zone Aware of what to do
2. What to do if directly incase s/he is not
a student is not present in class during
in the class. an emergency situation
Set up plans for Class teachers will
mock drills for prepare their class for
each class and the class mock drill.
the whole Evacuation team will
school. coordinate the school
mock drill.

51 -
 Carry out Encourage classes to Assist in preparing
promotional attend and participate in materials for promotion
activities about activities and organizing activities
the role and
function of the
evacuation team
in each class
Set guidelines Teachers take a Distribute badges
on reaching the headcount
safe zones Class teachers take Take care of younger
charge of their children
respective class
Class teacher will
assess PFA needs
among children Assist teacher in
Class teacher conducts conducting activities
activities.
During the Follow the Carry out the tasks as in Carry out the tasks as in
disaster procedures laid the mock drills. the mock drills.
down by the Remain calm. Remain calm.
evacuation Provide psychological Take children to the PFA
team. first aid. team leader.
Conduct games and Assist teachers in
activities to keep conducting the activities.
children occupied.

Coordinate the Team leaders will

activities of the communicate with the
four teams. teachers and student
representatives of each
team.
Team leaders will
coordinate with the
communication and gate
keeping persons

Alert System:
1. Alarm or siren indicating that children need to step out of their classrooms and proceed for
the safe zone
2. A distinct alarm or siren indicating that children have to stay indoors
3. A distinct alarm or siren indicating which route and which safe zone to proceed to.
4. A distinct alarm or siren indicating that children have to return to their classrooms
immediately

52 -
 Physical First Aid Team

Team Members: Team Leader trained in physical first aid, student representatives from classes
VI-VIII and IX-XII

Team Role Role of the Role of the student

Teacher
Coordinate Educate children Take charge of a first
procurement of on the uses of the aid kit for each class.
materials for first first aid kit
aid kit with the Inform first aid team
logistics person leader for materials.

Coordinate with Know the system Know the place where

Before the evacuation team to refer students to injured are to be
disaster to decide on a first aid treated
place where
injured will be
treated.
Carry out Encourage Assist in preparing
promotional classes to attend materials for
activities about the and participate in promotion and
role and function activities organizing activities
of the evacuation
team in each class
Attend to the Identify children Hand over injured
injured who are injured children to the first aid
team leader.
During the Assist team leader in
disaster providing first aid.
Arrange to move Team leader Assist in the transfer
those seriously should contact the of injured children to
injured to communications hospitals.
hospitals person for an
ambulance.

53 -
 Psychological First Aid

Team members: Team leader trained in Psychological First Aid, student representatives from classes
VI-VIII and IX-XII

Team Role Role of the Role of the student

Teacher
Coordinate with Carry out activities Participate
evacuation team and discussion in
to decide on a class about
place where emotional
psychological first reactions to
aid activities will disasters and
be carried out. crises.
Before the Coordinate
disaster training of team
members in
delivery of
psychological first
aid.
Carry out Encourage Assist in preparing
promotional classes to attend materials for promotion
activities about the and participate in and organizing activities
role and function activities
of the evacuation
team in each class
Provide Provide care and
psychological first support
aid. Refer to the Take the child to the
Psychological Psychological First Aid
During the First Aid team if team leader
disaster child is
inconsolable.
Coordinate with
the physical first
aid team leader.

54 -
 Damage Assessment

Team members: Team leader, student representatives from classes VI-VIII and IX-XII

Team Role Role of the Role of the student

Teacher
Prepare a map of Assess the risks Know the risks and
risks and and resources in resources in each class
resources each class
Carry out Encourage Assist in preparing
promotional classes to attend materials for promotion
activities about the and participate in and organizing activities
Before the role and function activities
disaster of the damage
assessment team
in each class
Assess the Look out for
damage site for missing or injured
injured people students
Inform about Assist in transfer of
injured student to injured people to the
After the disaster the first aid team first aid teams
leaders
Assess the
damage caused to
building and
property
Plan steps to Ensure that
rectify the damage destroyed or
damaged class
materials are
replaced

55 -
 MODULE-III
Resiliency in Children:
Role of Teachers

56 -
 LESSON PLAN

Introduction: Elaborate on the objectives

OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING:

1. Explain the common stress reactions in children.
2. Describe how to recognize emotional distress in children
3. Describe resiliency in children and adolescents.
4. Describe classroom activities to help children express feelings and enhance resilience.

EXPECTED OUTCOME
The participants will be able to:
1. Explain at least three common stress reactions in children
2. Name at least two coping skills in children and adolescents.
3. Learn to use at least three methods to help children express themselves.
4. Learn and practice classroom activities.

Pre- Test ( refer Annex 3.1)

57 -
1. COMMON STRESS REACTIONS IN CHILDREN:

1.1. What is stress ?

Stress is the body’s reaction to events, which are unexpected, and exceeds one’s capacity to cope.
Children experience stress when faced with situations that are different from their daily routines.

The common causes of stress in children are:

a) Death of a dear one. For example, parent, sibling, relative or

friend.

b) Physical injury or handicap.

c) Memories and thoughts of a crisis or disaster.

d) Dear one injured or physically disabled.

e) Loss of favorite toy or any other object.

f) Displacement from the house.

g) Fights between parents.

h) Poverty

i) Examination

j) Corporal punishment by the teachers

1.2. Common signs of stress and interventions among children and adolescents (Adapted from
Pynoos, R.S., Nader K. (1988) Psychological First Aid and treatment approach to children exposed to
community violence: Research implications. Journal of Traumatic Stress):

Children and adolescents show visible signs when they are distressed or faced with difficult
situations. It is important for the teachers to be able to recognize these signs in the school so that
they are able to provide adequate care and support.

58 -
A) Children from 4-7 years
STRESS REACTIONS TO CRISIS
1) Inactive. Not able to follow daily routine.
2) Fear of the dark, fear of being alone.
3) Not able to speak.
4) Disturbed sleep (nightmares, fear of
going to sleep, fear of being alone at night)
5) Clinging, not wanting to be away from
parent or teacher, bed-wetting.
6) Anxieties about the dead person that
s/he will return.
Clinging
(b) Children from 8-12 years
STRESS REACTIONS TO CRISIS
1) Issues of responsibility and guilt.
2) Fears triggered by the event.
3) Retelling and replaying of the event.
4) Feeling disturbed, confused and
frightened by their responses, fear of
59
PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
1) Provide support, rest, comfort, food,
Opportunity to play or draw.
2) Provide sense of security
3) Help to share feelings through
talking, listening, drawings.
4) Encourage talking about the
dreams with teachers and parents.
5) Provide sense of security by
holding the child often.
6) Explain the physical reality about
death.
Opportunity to play
PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
1) Help to express their feelings.
2) Help to identify feelings about the
event.
3) Permit them to talk; address
feelings and assure that they are
normal reactions to an abnormal
situation.
4) Encourage expression of feelings.
Help to retain positive memories.
-
 ghosts.
5) Difficulty in concentration and learning
6) Disturbed sleep (bad dreams, fear of
sleeping alone)
7) Change in behavior (excessive anger or
aggressive behavior)
5) Encourage them to talk to teachers
about the thoughts that are interfering
with learning.
6) Support them in talking about the
dreams, provide information about
why we have bad dreams.
7) Help to cope with the change in
their behavior by accepting it and
talking about it. (For example, “it must
be difficult to feel so angry”)

Fear triggered by event Encourage expression of feelings

(c) Adolescents (13 - 18 years)

STRESS REACTIONS TO CRISIS PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID

1) Shame and guilt 1) Encourage discussion of the event,
feelings about it and expectations of what
could have been done.
2) Sense of vulnerability about their 2) Help them understand that their
feelings, fear of being labeled feelings are normal in the situation.
abnormal. Encourage understanding among each
other and people of the same age group.
3) Drug use, anti-social behaviour, and 3) Help to understand that the behaviours
sexual misbehavior. are an effort to forget about the feelings.
Help to ventilate anger, frustration over
the event.
4) Accident prone behaviour, 4) Address the impulse toward reckless
recklessness. behaviour. Help to understand that this
behaviour can lead to violence, which can
have fatal consequences.
60 -
5) Changes in relationship with
parents, friends and other people.
6) Feeling that one has grown up too
soon (for example, leaving school,
getting married)
7) Thoughts of revenge.
5) Discuss the changes in relationship
and why they might be happening.
6) Encourage focus on one’s life ahead,
allow them to be involved in other
activities of interest.
7) Discuss about the actual thoughts of
revenge, the possible consequences of
the act and encourage constructive
alternatives that will have long-term
benefits.

Aggressive Engage in recreation activities

Activity 1:

Exercise on Stress reactions: Participants will be given some cards. Some

of them will be on stress reactions. Their task is to identify them. They then have to
elaborate on the stress condition and the facilitator will describe it further. After
finding out the stress reactions, the participants in groups will present one or two
interventions to relieve stress. Each group will carefully observe the other group
and give feedback.

Case study- First, the instructor will describe a crisis situation in a school . The
participants will be divided into two or three groups. The task of each group is to
develop a plan of action to assist the child under stress. Each group will present
their case.
Guidelines-
a. Divide participants into smaller groups.
b. Each group will be given a case study of a child with two of the above
signs of stess.
c. The task for each group is 61to develop a plan of action -to assist the
child in not less than 5 steps.
Each group will present their case.
Activity 2: Activity 2:

2. Recognizing the ability of children and adolescents to deal with crisis:

“Resilience is the capacity to transform oneself in positive way after a difficult event.” (Annan,
Castelli, Devreux, Locatelli, 2003)

Human growth and development:

When a child attends a school he will begin to learn how to read and write? He often comes home
with his school work and show it proudly to his mother. How ever small his accomplishments may be,
he wants them to be recognized. He will become more aware of himself and those around him. As he
interacts with the family, friends, teacher, and others, he develops more inner resources.

Activity 3 :

Discussion on the physical and psychological needs of human

beings:
The participants will share from their knowledge and experience. Finally, the
instructor will sum up the ideas.
62 -
 What is important in the life of a human being ? Think about your life and reflect
on the things that are important to you.
1. What is most important to you ?
- Relationships
- Work
2. What gives you a purpose in life ?
3. What values are important to you?
4. What are your beliefs ?

Through RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE I BUILD

Parents Trust
Family Love
Friends Identity
Teachers Sense of Belonging
Religious leaders
Community
Through ACTIVITIES I CAN I BUILD
School Competence
Work Confidence
Everyday activities Initiative
Through SPIRITUALITY I AM I BUILD
Values Self esteem
Beliefs Purpose in life
Culture Identity
Responsibility

What I HAVE, CAN and AM can help me to face difficult situations and recover with renewed
energy and strength.

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-III Q2)

Activity 4:

On resiliency.
Call for 2 volunteers. Give one a wooden stick. Give the other a bamboo cane.
Ask each one to bend one side of the stick/cane. The wooden one breaks, while
the bamboo one springs back.

Just as the way the bamboo springs back after pressure, the resilient individuals recover after
a difficult time or a crisis.

“The ability to spring back from and successfully adapt to adversity is

Resiliency” (Henderson, 2001).

63 -
 Children and adolescents have tremendous capacity to bounce back after a crisis event if they
are provided with a supportive environment. The ways in which children and adolescents behave and
respond to adults after a crisis situation are indications of their ability to deal with what has happened.
The role of adults is to provide children with positive ways by which they will become more resilient.

2.1. Recognizing resilience in children:

A child’s resilience is built by the coping skills s/he adapts, his/her behaviour with friends and
family, his/her performance at school and the way that s/he follows his/her daily routines.

(a) If a child is coping well, s/he is:

- Happy and interested in his/her surroundings.
- Will make friends and enjoy playing with them.
- Offer and accept affection.
- Will want to learn, be happy at school.

Offers and accepts affection

(b) If a child is not coping well, then s/he would show the following signs at school:

− Very quiet and unresponsive to questions asked.

− Does not participate in the class or play with friends.
− Is irritable and fights with other children.
− Cries and shows regressive behaviour such as thumb sucking or clinging to the teacher.
− Gets scared easily. Always feels fearful and nervous.
− Physical problems. For example, headaches and backaches.
− No visual contact. The child does not look into the eyes of the other person.
− Very low achievement in school. The child does not understand what the teacher explains.

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-III Q.3)

64 -
 Very quiet and unresponsive

2.2. Recognizing resilience in adolescents: In case of adolescents, adults need to realize that it is
a time when s/he is growing from a child to an adult and can no longer be treated as small children.
Adolescents usually have an innate capacity to deal with crisis in a positive way although at times
they might adopt negative ways. Because of the crucial time that they are in, they have to constantly
adjust and recreate the way they deal with crisis and can some times be confused or misled. It is
important for adults to provide them the support and encouragement that will help them to become
resilient.

Increase in Substance use/Abuse Engage in Community activities

Brainstorm:
a. Have you ever wished you were of the opposite sex? Why ?
b. Do you think there was a difference in the way you and your brother
or sister was brought up?
c. Do you think boys and girls are different? Why ?
d. Do you think there is a difference in resilience among boys and girls ?

(a) Coping power of adolescent boys and girls:

In India, adolescent girls and boys are brought up with different roles. Expectations from boys and
girls are very different. Most of the time boys are not expected to carry out household activities, as
are girls. In rural India schooling activities are also discontinued for girls as soon as they attain
puberty while there are expectations from boys to finish education and start earning for the family.
Such differences influence their coping mechanisms .

65 -
Table 3.2 (a)
Coping mechanisms Adolescent boys Adolescent girls
1. Ask for help They will usually find it They usually don’t have
easier to seek adult much freedom or support in
guidance and assistance the house to feel
because they have more comfortable enough to ask
freedom in the house. for adult assistance.
2. Care for others and They may not feel very They find it easier to give
accept affection from comfortable with this and receive affection if
others because society teaches given the opportunity and
them to hide their encouragement.
emotions.
3. Have friends and They usually have the In rural India, they are
enjoy doing things of freedom to step out of the burdened with household
interest house and meet people of responsibilities. They may
their own age. not be allowed to step out to
meet friends because of
safety and societal
constraints.
4. Attempt to learn new They have the interest to They have the interest to
things learn new things and learn new things and would
would do so if given the do so if given the
opportunity. opportunity.
5. Make plans for They enjoy more freedom Social expectation from
his/her future to make plans because them is to get married.
they are usually allowed Education is also secondary
to pursue education if for them because of social
there are no financial norms in the villages.
difficulties in the family.
6. Participate in They are able to
They are not able to
community activities participate in activities
participate so actively in
because there are no community activities
constraints on their
because of household
movement. tasks, security and social
norms.
7. Undertake things of They usually have more They usually have less time
interest time on their hands to do to do so because of
so because they are not household responsibilities.

66 -
 expected to help in the
house.

As Table 3.2(a) shows, girls and boys in some parts of India are brought up under different
conditions. It is important to be aware of such differences to be able to recognize their ability to cope
with a crisis situation.
(b) If an adolescent is not coping well, s/he will generally:
• Be aggressive and argue with family members and friends
• Be idle and refuse to help in the house.
• Refuse to engage in any creative or community activity.
• Refuse to go to school or to work and will sit and waste his/her time.
• Start smoking and drinking alcohol (mostly boys).

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-III Q 4.)

3. HELPING CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS TO BECOME RESILIENT IN SCHOOL

Children and adolescents learn and adopt coping mechanisms from the environment they live in.
It is very important that they receive an environment from which they can learn and which builds
their ability to cope. Children and adolescents are very sensitive to the positive or negative
enforcements received from their family, peers or community members.

Activity 5:
Exercise of self expression
Give the group 10 minutes to think about a significant person in each one’s
life between the ages of 7-16 years. Draw that person.

Ask members to share:

1. Who was that person ?
2. What was so significant about the person ?
3. How did they feel thinking back so many years ?
Learning:
Some childhood memories remain in our minds very clearly and certain
people play a very significant role. The teacher’s role is also as significant in
a child’s life.

67 -
  Even the smallest incident in our childhood can impact us.
 People we remember, who we liked are not always parents or
family members. They can be our neighbours, teachers, and
friends’ parents.
 Children also feel bad when things are not all right. They express
it differently.
 Children need to share their feelings about an experience.
 Our experiences of childhood influence the way we are as adults


For example, if a child is constantly criticized for his/her actions at home, s/he might
Grow up to lack confidence in him/herself. Such a child or adolescent would be more
Prone to stress during a crisis event.

3.1. Age specific interventions in the classroom (adapted from Center for Mental Health at UCLA
(2000). A response aid packet on responding to crisis at a school):

(a) Children between 4-7 years

 Physical contact: Children need lots of physical contact during times of stress to regain a
sense of security. Games involving physical touch can help meet this need.

 Physical activity: Children feel restless and anxious after a crisis event and activities
involving physical movement can help them. For example, games like skipping or ‘chain
chain’.

(b) Children between 8-12 years

68 -
  Share your own experience: Stimulate group discussion about crisis experiences by sharing
your own fears and experiences. It helps children to feel less isolated and alone.

 Reading: Read aloud or have children read stories or books that talk about children or families
dealing with difficult situations, pulling together during those times and similar stories.

 Discussion groups Facilitate discussion on topics such as “what happened in your

neighborhood (school name or home) when the event occurred?” This is recommended with
small groups with discussion afterward. This can help children feel less isolated and to vent
their feelings. Have the children draw individual pictures and share them with the class. The
group discussion should end on a positive note (recognizing that the children and their families
were able to pull together through the difficult situation).

 Visualization and relaxation: Children are restless and crisis events can further hamper their
ability to concentrate. Visualization and relaxation exercises help them to relax and think about
the nice things that they want in life.

 Crisis response plans: Have the children discuss their own family or classroom crisis plan.
What do they do if they have to evacuate? How would they contact parents? How should the
family be prepared? How could they help the family?

 Tension breakers: Students feel restless after a crisis. Conduct tension-breaking activities
such as co-listening exercise, dancing to music. Organize games such as kabaddi, cricket or
antaakshari.

 Playacting: In small groups, play the game, “if you were an animal, what would you
be?” “if you were that animal, what would you do if a crisis occurred?” Have the
children act out it out in front of the class and have the rest of the class guess what the
feeling is and why the student might feel that way.

(c) 13 – 18 years (Adolescents):

 Expression of feelings during class: Relate the crisis event to the course that is being
taught in class. Help students express their experiences and observations. For example,
during a science class let them prepare projects on stress, what they feel and how to deal
with it. Facilitate discussion on each project.

 Listening and validating: Adolescents have their own understanding of things happening
around them and their reactions to the event could be different from children or adults. Do not
criticize the way they think or feel. If you validate what they are saying they would be
encouraged to share more. Telling their story will help them to understand and eventually
accept the event.

 Visualization and relaxation: Children are restless and crisis events can further hamper their
ability to concentrate. Visualization and relaxation exercises.(Refer Module-V) help them to
relax and think about the nice things that they want in life.

69 -
 Organizing community events: Holding community events like cricket match, project work,
picnic or drama. Playing together is very helpful. It fosters teamwork and unity. It is also a good
exercise that helps the children to manage their stress. When children would do things together, it
will facilitate sharing of feelings.

 Turning survival skills into leadership: Help them recognize their strengths and abilities
and to see that they can make very valuable contributions to the community. They can initiate
activities in the community and become leaders in mobilizing their peers.

 Skills development: Develop their technical skills in vocational activities such as Physical
First Aid or Psychological First Aid. This would help them to assist others and themselves.
Techniques to manage their stress would facilitate better adaptation to new conditions after a
crisis.
(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module-III Q. 5)

4. ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Activity 6:

Clay Activity
1. Give each participant some plasticine.
2. Ask them to make something that was dear to them as a child and
which they have lost.
3. Ask them to share their feelings while making the object.
Guidelines for discussion:
1. How did you feel ?
2. Why was this object dear to you ?
Learning:
5. Sharing our feelings makes us feel better.
6. The most insignificant thing can be very dear to a little child.
7. The loss of toys also impacts children after a disaster.
8. It is important for children to express loss and sadness.

Activities that help children express themselves:

Children cannot express themselves with words so well. They
Express in other ways. There are some ways or activities by which we can help
Children to express their feelings, emotions, their views and their expectations.

Drawing method: Drawing method is one of the ways by which expression of feelings can be
facilitated. Asking a child to draw a picture can be a good way to find out what the child is feeling.

- Guidelines to use the drawing method:

a) Tell the children to close their eyes for five minutes and try to draw whatever
comes to their mind.
b) Give them specific themes such as
a. What do you remember of the time when the crisis occurred?
70 -
 b. What did the village look like at the time when the crisis occurred?
c. Can you draw a picture of something you lost?
c) Ask each child to describe or explain what s/he has drawn.
d) Do not grade the drawings or hold a competition.
e) Put all the drawings together and put them up on the school walls.

Story-telling method: Stories fire a child’s imagination. Story telling is a very effective method by
which children are able to express feelings in a simple manner.

- Guidelines to use the story telling method:

(a) Tell them a story about the crisis. For example, a story about a little boy/girl, who
lived in a village and suddenly one day a crisis came upon the village and so
on…
(b) After the story is over, discuss the story by asking questions like:
- How do you think the little boy or girl must have felt?
- What do you think the little boy or girl would have done?
- Do you think you will be able to face a crisis like that?
(c) Encourage the children to talk about their own experiences as you talk about the
characters in the story.
(d) Encourage them to share similar stories.

Creative writing method: Sometimes children do not want to or may not know how to share feelings.
Some children like to express their feelings by writing about it. The creative writing method can help
them to form a story or a poem. It’s not necessary for them to share what they have written if they
don’t want to.

- Guidelines to use the creative writing method:

(a) Show them pictures of a family and a crisis site. Ask them to
Write something on what they feel about the pictures.
(b) Encourage them to read out what they have written one by one.
However if a child does not want to then s/he should not be forced.
(c) Encourage them to explain what they wrote and what they thought of the picture.

School Drama method:

Theatre is a very effective way of not only helping children to express their feelings but also to deal
with the emotional losses and pain that they might be feeling after a crisis. Theatre includes
activities like writing, singing, dancing, acting and sharing of ideas. These activities help the child
to feel good about working in a team and contributing to it, showing their talents in dance, music or
acting and finding an interest in things other than studies.

- Guidelines to use school drama:

a) Divide the children into groups who will be responsible for the songs and music, the
costumes and props, the writing of the play and direction and advertising about the play
(where it will be performed, what time, what date).
b) In developing the script for the play, use the creative writing method. Let the children come
up with the story for the play. The teacher can only guide them on how to do it.
c) Encourage them to express their feelings as they write the story so that some of their
experiences are also reflected in it.
d) Encourage a lot of discussion and participation from all the children to decide the story, the
costumes, the songs and the overall planning of the play.
71 -
 Activity 7:

Prepare Guidelines for the skit:

- First of all the participants would decide a theme for the
skit.
- All the participants would share ideas for 10 minutes.
- One of the participants can write them down.
- The roles of each member will also be decided.
- The group will present the skit.

Each group will be asked to give a five-minute presentation on the process

through which the skit evolved. For example, how did they decide on the
theme? What steps did they follow to decide who will play what role? The
person who makes notes should share his/her observations. Interpersonal
communication gets strengthened.

Or

Activity 8:

BACHON KI RAIL
Duration: Two and Half hours
Procedure: Participants will be divided into small groups. Each group will
prepare activities for children [Station-I FUN (Dance, play and songs),Station-II
drawing, Station-III clay activity or role play of different characters, Station-IV
food and sweets, in nearby schools.]
Resources : School children, pencil, rubber, colour pencils, drawing sheets,
tape recorder, biscuits and chocolates etc .

72 -
 THEMES FOR CLASSROOM BASED ACTIVITIES

Pre-disaster Post disaster

 Knowledge about the village
 Knowledge about disasters
 Understand the importance of
preparation
 Fears people experience
 Fears about disasters
 How to prepare for a disaster
 Understand that its okay to feel
bad, cared, sad
 Issues related to loss and death
 Importance of relaxation and self
care
 What will happen in a crisis
 The role of students in a crisis
situation
 Finding solutions to issues
 Grieving
 Losing people we loved
 Losing our pets
 Losing things we loved
 Coping with the changed living
 Feeling good
 Relaxation
 Dealing with illnesses
 Having fun
 Memories
 Coping with stress reactions
 Returning to routines
 Seeking help and comfort

73 -
 Annex 3.1

PRE/POST EVALUATION

Name:________________________________________Date _____________

Insitute/School:__________________________________________________

Place:__________________________________________________________

(MARK YOUR RESPONSE IN THE BOX:)

Q.No Question Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree Don’t
. Agree disagree know
1. When children
grow up they
forget
everything
about their
past.
2. A teacher’s role
in the school is
to finish the
course.
3. One can make
out if a child is
upset by the
way s/he
behaves in
school.
4. Teacher can
reduce the
emotional
effects of a
crisis on
children.
5. Games and
activities help
children
express their
feeling.
6. If a child is
upset about
something,it is
better to avoid
the topic.
7. Children are
too young to

74 -
 understand a
bad event or a
crisis situation.
8. Children
express their
feelings just
like adults.
9. Teachers have
a limited role in
shaping the
future of a
child.
10. Teachers and
students have
no role in
preparing for a
disaster or
crisis event.

75 -
 Session Guidelines to Module -III
CONTENT ACTIVITY RESOURCES TIME
Recap of the previous Delivery of materials Materials required 20 minutes
day’s session Presentation
Introduction to module-
III 10 minutes

Pre test Test sheets Annex 3.1 20 minutes

1. Common stress Lecture 30 minutes
reactions in children Demonstration
1.1 What is stress?
1.2 Common Causes Exercise Activity 1 90 minutes
of stress, stress
reactions and Presentation Activity-2 20 minutes
interventions
among children
and adolescents.
2. Recognizing the Lecture
ability adolescents to Demonstration 20 minutes
deal with crisis.
2.1 Human growth Brainstorm Activity 3 20 minutes
and development-
What is important
in the life of a
human being ?
2.2
Recognizing
resilience in Exercise Activity 4 20 minutes
children.
2.3 Recognizing
resilience in 20 minutes
adolescents.
3. Helping children and Exercise Activity 5 20 minutes
adolescents to become Lecture 30 minutes
resilient in school. Demonstration
3.1 Age specific Exercise
interventions in the Brainstorm
classroom.
3.2 Activities that help
children to express
themselves.
4. Classroom activities Lecture Activity 6 30 minutes
for children and Demonstration Activity 7 or 90 minutes or
adolescents. Exercise Activity 8 150 minutes
Group work
Post Test Test sheets Annex 3.1 20 minutes
Total 8 hrs. 30 minutes

76 -
 MODULE-IV
STRESS MANAGEMENT AND SELF CARE
FOR TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS

77 -
 Lesson plan

Introduction of the training

OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING
1. Describe the causes of stress for teachers.
2. Describe the importance of stress for teachers.
3. Describe some techniques of stress management and self-care for teachers and volunteers.

EXPECTED OUTCOME
The participants will be able to:
1. Enumerate the reasons why teachers need self-care.
2. Explain two characteristics of stress in the school.
3. Practice at least two stress management and self-care techniques.

Pre –test (Annex 4.1)

78 -
1. STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS.

Brainstorm
What kinds of things make you tense?
1. What are the things at work that make you feel stressed ?
2. What happens to you when you are tense?
3. What do you do when you are tense?

1.1 Common causes of stress

• Loss of life – Death of loved one or witnessing the death of someone.
• Property loss or damage – Losing money, property or material assets.
• Rage and conflicts – Anger and frustration caused by some one or something that has
happened.
• Emotional insecurity –not having positive relationships with family members, at work or
among friends.
• Change in life style – Not being able to do the things that one used to.
• Health Problems
- Suffering from long term illnesses such as diabetes, heart problems.
• Workload – too much work, not having enough time for rest, not enough sleep.

1.2 Common signs of stress

• Increased heartbeat
• Excessive sweating
• Difficulty in speech
• Inability to sleep
• Inability to perform daily functions
• Disinterest in one’s surroundings
• Backaches and headaches

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module IV Q 1.)

79 -
 1.3 Stress in school

Activity 1:

Exercise on Stress:
One of the participants is asked to draw a picture on the board. Others are
quietly instigated to disturb him/her with various unnecessary suggestions. So
that the person cannot complete the picture and continue it in peace. Gets
stressed. Relate it to school situations. Another activity on stress reactions can
be done if time permits.
Brainstorm
1. What do you think are the common causes of stress in school ?
2. Do you think this stress can be controlled ?
3. How can we reduce this stress ?

It is important for teachers to control their stress not only because they are the emotional reserve for
the children but also because they need to preserve their own emotional well being.
- Common causes of stress for teachers during a crisis situation:
• Heavy workload – Teachers are responsible for the safety of the children. They must also
ensure that the administrative tasks are fulfilled. This can cause stress.

• Long working hours – Some schools have only one or two teachers who are in charge of
all the classes in the school. This can mean that the teachers have other duties besides
taking classes.

• Pressures to accomplish difficult tasks – Taking classes, providing emotional support,

meeting parents, coordinating with the administration, safeguarding children, are all activities
that teachers are expected to perform during a crisis situation. This can put a huge amount
of pressure especially if the school does not have enough resources to support them.

• Confusing situations – A crisis situation is quite chaotic because everyone (especially

children )is scared and confused.
Teachers also feel the same way if they are not prepared for the event.

• Noisy and disturbed atmosphere – The situation in a school after a crisis is not calm and
routine. It is full of distressed children and adults who are looking for support and assistance.
Under this circumstance, the teacher has to remain calm despite the high stress level.

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module IV Q 2)

80 -
2. SELF CARE FOR TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS
The experience of a crisis is a difficult situation for everyone. Teachers and volunteers involved in
crisis work in the school also experience the same fear, tiredness and anxiety and it is important for
them to be able to remain calm and take care of their emotional state at this time.

Self care is taking time out to take care of one’s own emotional, physical and material needs so that
tiredness and fears related to a crisis can be minimized.

Self care is important for teachers because

 Teachers are role models for children: During the period of crisis, children need to feel
assured that they are safe. Teachers can play an important role in this by exhibiting
behaviour, which show that things are going to be ok.

 Adult emotions influence children’s emotions: Though children do not understand about
the things happening around them so well, they do understand that their elders/ teachers are
disturbed.

If you are emotionally healthy, you can take care of the children’s emotions too: An emotionally
healthy person can take care of others’ emotions. If a person is feeling insecure how can s/he make
others feel secure?

2.1. Techniques of self-care and stress management:

(a) Build your energy levels:

 Walk or do something that you like at a regular basis.
 Eat regularly
 Alternate work with pleasure activities.
 Get enough sleep.
 Take time off when tired or unwell.

(b) Keep your emotional reserves:

 Develop gratifying personal relations. For example, try and stay more with people of
similar interests and thinking.

 Seek emotional support. For example, when you are feeling sad or tensed about
something talk about it with your friends or relatives.

 Formulate realistic goals for yourself. For example, when you plan consider the
limitations and the resources around you before making a decision.

 Prepare yourself for frustrating moments, allow yourself not to be perfect. For example,
do not expect everything to go the way you planned, many a time we get success only after
we have tried a number of times.
 Give yourself affirmations, praise yourself. Remember everybody has got strengths and
weaknesses, concentrate on your strengths.

 Allow yourself to cry. For example, some times a person feels very low but doesn’t want
to accept that s/he is so sad and tries to hold or hide his/her emotions. But expressing your
grief will surely help you reduce it.

81 -
  Find things to make you laugh. For example, if having a session in the class for jokes or
skits makes you laugh, go for it once in a while.

(c) Psychological Self-care

 Make time for self-reflection. For example, give yourself some time when you are alone
and relaxed and can think about what you are doing or what do you want to achieve in life.

 Say no to extra responsibilities sometimes. Sometimes it is better to say no in the

beginning then to look for excuses for not doing the task accurately or at the right time. If you
think that taking new responsibility might be an added burden on you then politely refuse it.

 Let others know different aspects of you. It’s very difficult for people to understand you
and many times people misunderstand you. In a situation like this try and make the other
person understand how you feel about an issue or what you can do in a particular situation.
For example, if you are assisting in a play and you are a singer, let people know that you can
sing.

 Notice your inner experiences – listen to your thoughts, judgments, beliefs, attitude and
feelings. Sometimes we shun even thoughts just because they are not culturally appropriate,
but it is important to give heed to new thoughts and ideas that come to you because that
helps you to evolve as a person.

 Do something which you are an expert at or in charge of. If you involve yourself in work
that you know well then you will commit less mistakes. That will boost confidence in you and
save you from frustration.

 Engage in activities, which you enjoy. For example, play some games, go to the cinema,
take part in song and dance activities, and listen to music, read a book.

 Be curious about learning and absorbing new things. When a person is open to news
skills and ideas then one can be more equipped to deal with different situations in life.
(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module IV Q 3)
(d) Spiritual Self-care

 Be aware of the non-material aspects of life.

 Identify the meaningful aspects of your life and value its importance.
 Contribute to causes that you believe in.
 Meditate.
 Pray.

2.2 Techniques and ways to deal with stress:

 Deep breathing: Is a technique, which brings the breathing to a normal and steady
rate. Stress makes our breathing pattern irregular, which affects blood circulation. Deep
breathing helps the adequate intake and exhalation of air into our body.

 Relaxation: Relaxation exercises help to reduce the tension in our muscles. They help
to loosen our body and get rid of any aches or pains caused by stress. It is used when
there is muscular tension, anxiety, and difficulty in sleeping, head and stomach aches,
hypertension, fear.
82 -
 Relaxation and deep breathing exercises for minimum 15 minutes
Everyday can relieve stress considerably.

Activity 2:

Deep Breathing and relaxation

Time: 30 minutes
1. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
2. Relax your shoulders, ankles, knees, neck and arms.
3. Concentrate on your breathing till it is regular and relaxed.
4. Inhale from nose. Exhale from mouth.
5. Let your mind wander.
6. Do not put in any pressure on your self to think about one
7. Particular thing.
8. Feel your body slowly relaxing.
9. Each and every muscle will slowly release the tension.
10. You will feel as though your body is floating.
11. You can choose to be in this state for as long as you want.

a. Visualization: This is a very good technique to increase motivation and energy to

achieve one’s goals in life. It helps individuals to realize their dreams and be able to see
them clearly so that they feel inspired to take the steps to achieve them. It builds the
desire and the confidence to accomplish what one wants.

DESIRE + BELIEF = POWER (TO DO)

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 Activity 3:

Visualization
Time: 20 – 30 minutes
1. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. You can play
some soothing music if you want.
2. Pay attention to your breathing till its normal and relaxed.
3. Slowly let your mind wander to your most precious dream. It can
be something that you have always wanted.
4. Now imagine that you have got what you wanted, that your
dream has come true.
5. Picture every detail of that dream.
6. Feel the happiness in seeing your dream fulfilled.
7. Observe the things that you can see through your imagination.
8. Slowly, return to the present.
9. Open your eyes slowly
10. Take three long breaths.

 Affirmations: Is a phrase or sentence about one positive quality that individuals

recognize in themselves.

An affirmation should be:

1. Personal, i.e. About your own self.
2. Positive
3. Energetic
4. About present time. For example, I AM ALWAYS POSITIVE!

(Refer to Participants’ Handbook Module IV Q4)

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 Activity 4:

Affirmations
Procedure:
1. All the participants will be asked to think of one affirmation about
themselves.
2. Each one has to share the affirmation with the whole group.

Activity 5:

Importance of Self-care:
• Some dry sand on a piece of paper will be distributed to all the
participants
• The participants will be asked to blow it away.
• Then again some sand will be given on a piece of paper.
• The participants will be asked to put few drops of water on the sand.
• The participants will be asked to blow the wet sand.
• The participants will be asked as to what will happen if the sand dries
up again.
Inference:
Dry sand is like a person without self-care and stress (blow) can
cause a negative impact on the person.
A person who practices self-care activities becomes resistant to
stress like the wet sand and is not easily shaken by daily life stresses.
Self-care activities need to be continued regularly to prevent one
self from being vulnerable to stress again, like sand drying up.

85 -
 Remember in Self-care:
Stress management is a very individual process and there is no best
stress management technique.

Demonstration by Fire Brigade (District Fire Station) For

ppractical knowledge of the teachers. Duration – at least two
hours.

Closing:
a. Ask one of the participants to revise the day’s topics in brief
b. Welcome participants to share any comments, feedback or raise any doubts and
questions on the topics discussed.
c. Distribute the reading material.

POST TEST (Refer Annex4.1)

86 -
 Annex4.1

PRE/POST EVALUATION
Name:_________________________________Date:_____________

Institution/ School:________________________________________

Place:___________________________________________________
(Mark your response in the box )

Q.No. Question Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree Don’t

agree disagree know
1. Self-care
is taking
care of
one’s need
above
others.
87 -
2. Continued
back and
headaches
is a sign of
stress.
3. Praying
takes care
of stress.
4. A marriage
is a
stressful
event.
5. Teacher’s
heavy
workload
is a cause
of stress
for them.
6. Praising
one self is
a self-care
activity.
7. Relaxation
and deep
breathing
helps us to
reduce
stress in
our daily
life.
8. Self-care
means to
do thing
th10at one
enjoys.
9. Diabetes
is a
common
illness
caused by
stress.
10. Stress
makes the
pattern of
our
breathing
irregular.

88 -
 SESSION GUIDLINE TO THE MODULE-IV
CONTENT ACTIVITY RESOURCES TIME
Recap of the Discussion Materials as 20 minutes
previous day’s required
session
Introduction to Presentation 10 minutes
module-V
Pre test Test sheets Annex 5.1 20 minutes
1. Stress 15 minutes
management for
teacher and Lecture 30 minutes
volunteers.
1.1 What is Demonstration
stress ?
1.2 Common Brainstorm Activity 1 20 minutes
causes and
signs of stress. Exercise
1.3 Stress in 15 minutes
school

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2. Self-care for Lecture Activity 2 30 minutes
teacher and Demonstration
volunteers. Practice
2.1 Techniques of Exercise Activity 3 30 minutes
self-care. 20 minutes
2.2 Ways to deal Lecture Activity 4 20 minutes
with stress. Demonstration Activity 5
Practice
Demonstration by Demonstration 120 minutes
fire brigade
Post test Test sheets Annex 5.1 20 minutes
Total 6 hrs. 10 minutes

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 MODULE-V

PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID

LESSON PLAN
The purpose of the Psychological First Aid module is to give Red Cross Volunteers and Community
Based First Responders certain familiarity about how to deliver psychological first aid to survivors of a
disaster or a daily life crisis ?

Module Length:
Psychological first aid module is designed to be taught in approximately eight (8) hours. The module
can be presented as an add-on module to the Community Based First Aid course, or it can be
presented as stand alone session.

Module Material:

For the instructor:

Flip charts
Pens
Name cards
Trifold

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For the participants:
Psychological first aid booklet
Notebooks
Pens

Goal:
Community Based Volunteers and First Responders will become familiar with Psychological First Aid.

Objectives:
1. Understand the significance of Psychological First Aid.
2. Explain the importance of stress.
3. Learn basic skills to deliver Psychological First Aid.

Expected outcome:
By the end of the session the participants will be able to:
1. Recognize at least five principles of Psychological First Aid.
2. Identify at least two kinds of stress reactions.
3. Deliver the five steps of Psychological First Aid.

Pre-Test (Annex 5.1)

1.Introduction to Psychological First Aid (PFA)

Activity 1:

Remembering events of past

 The participants will be asked to write about a sad event of their past.
 The participants will be asked to write about the first time they brushed
their teeth or wore their clothes themselves.

Inference:
• You remember the sad events.
• You do not remember the insignificant events.

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 1. Introduction:
To offer a cure, one must know the ailment. Psychological First Aid is a common cure for people in
distress. But first one must understand what kind of distress it is. Then the relevance of the
psychological first aid can be understood.
Psychological first aid is as important as physical first aid. When someone is bleeding, you don’t
immediately take the person to the Emergency room; you do something to stop the bleeding, and
then take him/her to the Emergency Room. Likewise, you do not offer a person in need of immediate
psychological assistance, trauma counseling, or take them for psychotherapy. Firstly because in
India, there are very few psychiatrists and psychologists to assist such a vast population and
secondly, not all psychological problems require professional intervention. There are simple ways of
assisting people in distress, which the fellow human beings can offer. These simple ways constitute
Psychological First Aid.

2. Relevance of Psychological First Aid for a disaster, emergency, and crisis.

Almost every person faces difficult times in life. But some people face problems of greater magnitude
and severity like disasters/ crises.

2.1 What is a disaster ?

A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material,
or environment losses, which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope with, using only its own
resources. Disasters are often classified according to the speed of onset (sudden or slow), or
according to their cause (natural or man- made).
An overview of Disaster Management, 2nd Edition, (1992), UNDP, Disaster Management Training
Program, Wisconsin Disaster Management Center.

Disaster is an event that exceeds the community’s capacity to respond. Disaster can be classified as
• Natural disasters such as cyclone, earthquake and drought.
• Man-made disasters such as communal riots, industrial accidents and fire.

A Disaster affects us in many ways:

We may lose the social structure such as family, neighbours, and other groups. The size and
the range of the disaster will determine the disruption in the workplace, schools, and local
infrastructure such as light, water, and communications. There are some preconditions which will
impact the magnitude of the disasters. These are poverty, unemployment, lack of information, and not
having a support network. During this period the community has some specific needs sometimes
referred to as basic needs, which include water, food and shelter. A disaster is classified depending
on the speed and the cause.

2.2 What is an emergency ?

An emergency is an unforeseen event that is marked by a clear deterioration in the coping abilities of
a group or community. Emergencies are reflections of normal life. For example a person knows that
the brake shoe of the car is worn out. The person has earned his/her weekly salary. A decision has to
93 -
be made on whether to fix the brakes or buy food, so the person buys food. As a result of this
decision he/she loses the brakes while driving and has an accident.
An emergency has three components (1) an underlying cause (poverty), (2) dynamic pressures (how
to spend money), and an unsafe condition (car is unsafe to drive).

2.3 What is a crisis ?

It is an event that exceeds the capacity of an individual to respond.
A crisis is an event that precipitates social readjustment. A crisis is an event caused by traumatic
stimuli such as loss of life, injury, sudden illness, change in environment, winning a lottery, or simply a
promotion at work. How a person faces the crisis, whether it is perceived as a problem or as an
opportunity, results in the behavioral reaction.

3. Psychological first aid.

Psychological first aid is a first order response, of short duration, to a person who is experiencing
distress as a result of a disaster, an emergency or a crisis. The SPHERE 2004 manual defines
psychological first aid saying it“entails basic non-intrusive, pragmatic care with a focus on listening,
but not forcing to talk; assessing needs and ensuring that basic needs are met, encouraging but not
forcing company from significant others; and protecting from further harm”.

Based on the SPHERE standards psychological first aid proposes five steps. (1) Provide for
basic needs, (2) listen to the survivors’ distress, (3) accept the feelings and understanding that these
are normal reactions to abnormal situations, (4) assist with next steps by reuniting with loved ones or
providing timely and accurate information, and (5) refer to appropriate support systems (for medical
needs to the health post, for spiritual needs to the appropriate spiritual guide, for a lone person to a
support network).

Figure 1: Illustrations below show an example of a crisis and the necessity of emotional
support beyond physical first aid.

Motorcycle accident needing physical first aid.

94 -
Though physically fit, victim needs psychological healing
The illustration depicts how the physical wound gets healed after physical first aid is given but the fear
for motorcycle persists. Thus, emphasizing some kind of additional assistance in a situation of
disaster/ crisis is needed i.e.

Psychological First Aid.

Psychological First Aid is a brief, first order intervention for a person facing a disaster or a
crisis in order to prevent persistence of deeper psychological impact.

3.1 What are the conditions that will cause a reaction of distress ?

The following conditions during the disaster, emergency or crisis will serve as an indication for
psychological first aid.

(1.) Physical proximity to the disaster.

(2.) Emotional proximity to an event.
(3.) Whether or not there are secondary events such as a disruption of daily routines through the loss
of shelter, work place, or transportation.
(4.) Whether or not a disaster has occurred by natural causes, such as hurricane or flood, or is
caused by an act of another person known or unknown. “God’s Will” is more readily accepted than
accidental or premeditated harm caused by another human being.
3.2 Individual Factors:

Many individual factors can affect the way a person responds to a disaster. These include genetic
vulnerabilities and capacities, prior history of constant stress or exposure to past disasters, history or
presence of a psychiatric disorder, having lower education and income, lower IQ, being divorced or
widowed, health issues or psychopathology within the family, the presence or absence of family and
social support structures, the age and developmental level of the individual. Children represent a
particularly vulnerable population.

When a disaster, an emergency or a crisis occurs, the survivors depending on the level of exposure
will require emotional support along with other relief material. By alleviating stress,psychological first
aid will help the survivors to sustain mental/physical performance during routine activities, under
extremely adverse conditions and in hostile environments.
Three main things need to be done when caring for these survivors.

95 -
 1) Provide information about normal behavioral responses to a disaster. Most people want to
know they are not abnormal.
2) Provide for the survivor’s basic needs. Some survivors will have no access to money, food or
shelter.
3) Refer the acute distress reactions to mental health professionals.

2.The Concept of distress and stress

4. Introduction

There are many definitions of psychological distress; most of them include some type of
overwhelming, unanticipated danger from which one cannot escape and for which there appears to
be no method of either decreasing the danger or the individual’s anxiety.

The disaster survivor may almost instantaneously develop distress symptoms including a feeling that
one’s heart is about to burst, difficulty in breathing (so that one feels smothered), trembling, muscular
tension, perspiration, nausea, mild diarrhoea, and anxiety.

These responses are complex and include biological defenses against the threat, the activation of
mechanisms related to past learning and adaptation in similar situations, response to social cues (i.e.
Behavior is shaped by the behavior of those around us – running or going into a building as a result of
a loud noise), reactions to immediate loss or separation from a loved one and the effects of the
cognitive disarray that can occur from experiencing chaos all around. Hysterical reactions are
uncommon during a disaster or a crisis.

4.1 Factors that can affect a person’s response to a disaster, an emergency or a crisis.

There are a number of factors that increase the distress of people experiencing a disaster. They
include:

(1.) Being a direct victim as opposed to a witness (e.g. Seeing it live on television).
(2.) Having a daily routine disrupted (e.g. Loss of shelter).
(3.) Whether the disaster is natural or manmade.
(4 ).Socio-economic status (poverty, caste, religion, gender).
(5.)Support systems (family and friends).
(6.)Level of emotional developmental (e.g. Children often respond to disasters just like their
parents do).

96 -
Illustrations to show how stress affects individuals with help of rock example:

With a small rock the bridge with a little bigger rock, theis intact.
Bridge develops cracks

With a even bigger rock, the bridge collapses

Change the captions

The effect of stressful life events on a person:

97 -
Small events, adult copes Bigger events, adult has difficulty in coping
Develops symptoms of stress

Still bigger events, adult unable to cope and breaks down

4.2 What is stress ?

Stress is the body’s response to situations that pose demands, constraints or opportunities.

In day-to-day life any one can experience stress but it depends on person to person how stressed
s/he feels in one situation. For example, a boy who has to take his exams might either feel extremely
stressed and fall ill or he might feel moderately stressed and concentrate on studies. Stress is not
always negative. Some amount of stress is required to give optimum performance. It is the chronic
stress that can have a negative impact on a person.

Stress reactions are divided into four categories i.e. Physical, emotional, cognitive and
behavioral. Though the most common stress reactions are simply inefficient performances, such as:

• Slow thinking (or reaction time).

• Difficulty sorting out the important tasks from extraneous activities and seeing what needs to
be done.
• Difficulty getting started.
• Indecisiveness, trouble focusing attention.

Activity 2:

Exercise on stress (Refer to Example -1)

.0.0.0.1 Brainstorm
Guidelines for discussion:
• Have you witnessed a disaster?
• What were your reactions to the disaster?
• What were the behaviour of other survivors?

The facilitator will write all the reaction and behaviour on the flip chart.

98 -
Physical reactions:
• Fatigue, exhaustion
• Appetite change
• Tightening in throat, chest or stomach
• Worsening of chronic conditions (high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, or heart condition).
• Somatic complaints

Behavioral reactions:
• Sleep problems
• Crying easily
• Avoiding reminders
• Excessive activity level
• Increased conflicts with family
• Hyper vigilance, startling reactions
• Isolation or social withdrawal

Disaster Mental Health Response Handbook (July 2000). Center for Mental Health,
North Sydney, NSW Although the behaviour described above usually diminish with time, some do
not.

A person, who has not improved somewhat within a day, even though he or she has been given
warm food, time for sleep, and opportunity to ventilate, or who becomes worse, deserves specialized
medical/psychiatric care. Do not wait to see if what he is experiencing will get better with time.

Factors involved in Stress Tolerance:

There are three factors involved in tolerance of stress. They are:
• The environment (the stressor).
• The way the person perceives the environment.
• The way a person judges his/her emotional resources.

As shown in the bridge and stone picture the capacity of the bridge depends on the load that is put on
it, the material with which it is built and the engineering design with which it is built to take the load.
Similarly in an individual the tolerance to stress depends on the emotional load of the event, the
perception of the event by the individual and the use of the emotional resources by the individual to
cope with the stress.

99 -
 Example1. Take an ordinary rubber band. Stretch it from both the sides. It stretches up to a point
and then it breaks. This breaking point is when the stretching power of the rubber band gives way.
This demonstrates that a person can cope up to a point but not beyond.

3.Importance of Non-verbal Communication

Activity 3:
ROLE PLAY
A participant is asked to hide behind any large object or cover himself. He/she is
then instructed without others knowledge to relate a sad story with verbal
modulations
Participants are asked to give their thoughts on the verbal message.

Nonverbal communication is a mode of expression exclusive of verbal communication:

Activity 4:

The same participant is then asked to express sadness without using words
The participants are asked about their observation.
Inference:

• Feelings can be conveyed non –verbally.

Non-verbal communication can be as powerful as verbal communication.

Non-verbal communication is to a great extent spontaneous and without conscious

Activityawareness:
4:

Activity 5:

Participants are asked to show specific emotions (such as happiness, sadness)

This is conveyed to them by written instructions.
After the participants complete they are asked about the particular nonverbal
communications they used during the presentation.

Inference:

• Non-verbal communication is often spontaneous.

Discloses feelings without conscious awareness.

Non- verbal communication has various key components .

They are as mentioned below:
1. Eye contact: It is important that while communicating with a person, there should be a direct eye
contact and one should be focused on what the person is sharing. If a survivor is sharing his story the
100 -
emotional assistant should not look around because looking into the eyes of the survivors would help
in building the rapport.

2. Body posture: Body postures express the person’s internal feelings. For example, if a person is
sitting straight that signifies that he/she is alert. Emotional assistant should sit in front with survivor
with his/her palms open, which portrays that the emotional assistant is not having closed feelings.

3. Distance/ Physical contact: Physical contact will denote confidentiality and trust. Emotional
assistant should sit close to the survivor, if it is culturally appropriate. For example if two people are
sitting close to each other, it signifies closeness between them.

4. Facial expressions: Facial expression gives a lot of information on how a person is feeling. For
example, happiness, sadness, fear or anger is reflected by facial expressions.

5. Gestures: Gestures also indicate the thoughts of a person. For example, nodding head in
affirmation shows that the person is interested in the talk. When listening to a survivor’s distress, it is
advisable to hold the survivor’s hand or touch his/her shoulder, if culturally appropriate.

6. Vocal tone, volume: The tone of the voice reflects the feelings of the person. For example, if a
person is saying something nice but the tone is rude that signifies that internally the person is feeling
different from what he/she is saying verbally.

Some illustrative examples are given below:

1. Anxiety

 Trembling of hands.
 Constantly changing body posture.
 Acute voice.

101 -
  Clearing throat.
 Vague look.

2. Lack of interest:

• Vague look
• Looking around.
• Monotone voice.
• Moving the feet.
• Yawning

3. Confidentiality:

• Looking to all sides.

• Eyes half shut.
102 -
 • Mouth is covered.
• Low voice.
• Mumbling.

4. Not caring:

• Hands on the waist.

• Extended legs.
• Looking the other way.

6. Irritated

• Red face.
• High tone of voice.
• Pointing with finger.
103 -
 • Cold stare
• Forehead wrinkled.

A listener should follow the below mentioned guidelines to be an effective listener:

1. Sit in front of the individual with open hands.

2. Do not fold arms.
3. Maintain direct visual contact.

4. Interpret the total message (words, body language, facial expressions)

5. Encourage the speaker to express all their feelings without repressing.
6. Pay attention. Looking at a person and moving head freely confirms that you are willing to
establish contact and are paying attention.
7. Listen carefully and retain information received to be able to use it in the future.
8. Do not speak out your ideas. Be careful with what you say.

Activity 6:
Open palm Listening
Procedure:
• Divide the participants into pairs
• They can occupy any part of the room or area they feel comfortable
• They can sit on a chair or on the floor wherever they feel comfortable
• Give them five minutes to share an event with the other
• Mention that the listener will keep his/her palm facing upward and body
leaning forward
• Facilitator can demonstrate the Open Palm technique
Guidelines for discussion:
• How did you feel ?
• Did the persons posture make you feel less or more comfortable?
• Did you feel that the person was really listening to you? If yes, why ?
If not, why not ?

104 -
 4.Implementation of Psychological First Aid

Brainstorm
Guidelines for discussion:
• When an individual is in crisis what do you do to make him feel better ?

First aid can be applied to stress reactions of the mind as well as to physical injuries of
the body. You must know how to give psychological first aid to be able to, help yourself,
your friends and family, and the community in times of a disaster or of a personal crisis.

Psychological first aid measures are simple and easy to understand. Improvisation is in
order, just as it is in splinting a fracture. Your decision of what to do depends upon your
ability to observe the survivor and understand his/her needs. Time is on your side, and
so are the emotional resources of the survivor you are helping. Making the best use of
resources requires ingenuity.
If psychological first aid is offered early to survivors during the immediate response
period, the survivors stand a good chance of recovering early and of becoming an
effective member of the community recovery efforts.

Psychological First Aid is the holistic first order intervention that can be delivered in five simple
steps, which are:

1. Meet the immediate needs

2. Listen, listen, listen
3. Accept the feelings expressed by the survivor
4. Assist with next steps
5. Refer and follow-up

Step I. Meeting the immediate needs:

• Take the survivor to a safe place protected from further threat
• Provide physical first aid, if needed
• Offer something to drink or eat
• Make the survivor feel comfortable
105 -
 • Protect people who are upset or agitated from harming themselves and others.

Step II. Listen, listen, and listen:

• Share the reality of the person
• Actively participate in the conversation by looking into survivor’s eyes and repeating the key
words to facilitate the survivor’s expression.
• Gently touch the survivor’s hand or shoulder, if appropriate
• Take time to listen when people describe what happened. Telling their story will help people
understand and eventually, accept the event

Step III. Accept the feelings expressed by the survivor:

• Empathize and validate feelings expressed by the survivor
• Normal responses to disaster include feelings of anxiety, grief, guilt and anger.
• Listen non-judgmentally without interrupting or being critical
• Do not give advice or false assurances. For example, “I understand how you feel”.

Step IV. Assist with next steps:

• Provide factual information about where and how they can seek specific resources
• Encourage survivor to plan a personal action plan for the immediate situation
• Follow-up by visiting and helping out if the survivor is not able to manage
• Let the survivor evaluate and progress and feel some sense of mastery

Step V. Refer and follow-up:

• Identify survivors who need further counseling or intervention
• Refer survivors who do not respond to your intervention
• Link them to systems of support.
• If needed, follow up the next day.

.1 (Visual : An assistant helping survivor up 5 steps. Each step denotes one PFA factor. Top will
have the words “Survived Well”)

106 -
 Activity 7:

.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 EXERCISE:
• Two balloons are inflated and kept on the floor.
• Two participants are asked to walk around trying to stamp the
balloons. (Secretly instructed not to burst the balloons)
• Two more participants are asked to protect the balloons and
keep it safe for future use.
• Others are to observe the activity and reflect on it.

Expected outcome:
• Emphasize the steps of Psychological First Aid in the context
of the balloon. (See illustrations below)

Illustrations below show simple ways of remembering the steps:

Balloon needs to be provided immediate Balloon needs to be deflated so that

protection and care from danger possibility of bursting is decreased

107 -
 Plan to keep the balloon at a safe place If there are holes in the balloon, it needs to so that it
has a secure future be repaired

Guidelines for accepting the feelings of the survivor:

• Accept the survivors you are trying to help without censorship or ridicule.
• Accept the survivors’ right to their own feelings. Even though your feelings, beliefs, and
behavior are different.
• Do not blame or make light of the way the survivor feels or acts. Your purpose is to help
the survivor in this tough situation, not to be critical.
• A survivor does not want to be upset and worried; the survivors would "snap out of it" if
they could.
• When a survivor seeks help, he or she needs and expects consideration of their fears,
not abrupt dismissal or accusations.
• Realize that people are the products of a wide variety of factors. All persons may react
in different ways to the same situations. Each individual has complex needs and
motivations, both conscious and unconscious that are uniquely his/her own.
• Often, the "straw that breaks the camel's back" the one thing that finally causes the
person to be overloaded by the stressful situation is not the stressor itself, but some
other problem. Thus, an injury or an emotional catastrophe will have a personal
meaning for each individual.
• Even though you may not share the reactions or feelings of another person, and even
though the reactions seem foolish or peculiar, you must realize that the person feels as
he does, for a reason.
• You can help the person most by accepting the person, and by doing what you can for
the survivor during this difficult time.
• Understand that the survivor is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Your positive assistance and trust may be what the survivor needs, to do better.

Who require Psychological First Aid ?

Any person who is in a crisis requires Psychological First Aid. During a disaster it is not just the
survivors who require Psychological First Aid but also their relatives and the people who come to
assist the survivors.

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Disaster Mental Response Handbook, NSW HEALTH, 2002. (pg. 12)

Person who requires Psychological First Aid in context of a disaster would be:
• Survivors
• First Responders (rescue and recovery personnel and helpers)
• Secondary Survivors (friends and relatives of survivors, incidental others upset by the event
and indirectly involved persons)

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General principles of Psychological First Aid

1. Intervene immediately (be direct, active and authoritative). The sooner the survivor is
assisted in coping with the disaster or an emergency or a crisis situation, the better are the
chances of restoring the pre-disaster situation. The longer the survivor remains in a state of
confusion, unable to take some sort of action to address the situation, the more difficult it will
be to intervene.

2. Keep the focus of the intervention on the precipitating situation. Help the survivor to
accept that the crisis situation has occurred by encouraging the survivor to express the facts
of the situation as well as his/her feelings.

3. Provide accurate information about the situation. Give a realistic orientation about what
has occurred, and what might be the expected outcomes.

4. Do not give false assurances. Always remain truthful and realistic. Recognize the stress
reactions and provide some sense of hope and reassurance that the person will ultimately
overcome the crisis. However, let the survivor know that things may never be the same as
they were before the crisis.

5. Recognize the importance of taking action. Every psychological first aid intervention
should have an ultimate outcome or some action that the individual is able to take. Restoring
the person to the position of victor rather than victim is critical to success.
6. Assist in developing networks for survivors. Find a group of peers, family members,
community members or church members that can provide both support and temporary
assistance during the crisis. Implement a buddy system so that the survivor is not left alone.

7. Focus on personal coping ability. Emphasize how the survivor has coped with the situation
so far and how the survivor has already begun to use strategies for moving forward.
Encourage the survivor to implement solutions or strategies, which have a high probability of
success.

8. Encourage resilience. Provide constructive activities that the survivor can do to assist with
the situation, such as helping to put up tents, or distributing food and water in the camp.
Reinforce whatever problem solving the individual has demonstrated till this point in time.

9. Be concerned and competent. The more Red Cross volunteers can present themselves as
a model of a competent, problem solving individual, and demonstrate the process of taking in
information, choosing between alternatives, and then taking action, the more survivors will be
able to function adequately. Therefore, it is important that Red Cross volunteers establish
their own support systems so that they can adequately cope with the situation.

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4.1 Do’s and Don’ts of Psychological First Aid

Do Don’t
1. Contact Listen carefully Tell your “own story” yet.
Communicate Ignore either facts or
acceptance. feelings.
Judge or take sides

2. Dimensions of Ask open-ended Rely on yes/no

problem questions. questions.
Ask person to be specific Allow continued
abstractions.
Ignore “danger” signs.

3. Possible solutions Encourage Allow tunnel vision.Leave

brainstorming. obstacles unexplored.
Deal directly with Tolerate a jumble of
immediate problems. needs.
Set priorities

4. Concrete action Take one step at a time.Attempt to solve it all

Set specific short-term now.
goals. Make binding long-term
Give directions, only ifdecisions.
the person needs to go to
Be timid.
the health post. Retreat from taking
responsibility when
necessary.
5. Follow-up Make a contract for re- Leave details up in the
contact. air, or assume that client
Evaluate action steps. will follow through on
plan by her/himself.
Leave evaluation to
someone else.
Slaikeu, Karl A. (1990). Crisis Intervention: A Handbook for practice and research Allyn and Bacon. (pg. 90)

111 -
 How to use the Psychological First Aid Trifolds ?

Activity 8:

Demonstration and Practice

Guidelines:
• Facilitator demonstrates use of Trifold in the form of a story.
• Participants are asked to use similar method to present the Trifold.

The PFA trifold is a tool that helps the community-based worker to learn PFA for the people
at the community level. It has simple words and is illustrated with bright colors. In the front, it
depicts a happy family that undergoes a disaster/ crisis. The first fold shows the stress
reactions of the husband. In the second and third fold, the five simple steps are given to
guide the helper to deliver psychological first aid to the distressed husband.

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 Activity 9:
Four Role plays
Guidelines:
• Select eight participants in four pairs.
• Each pair is given a situation where one of the members gives
Psychological First Aid and the other plays the survivor/person in crisis.
• Choose four different situations in which each of the first four steps is
respectively projected.

Activity 10:

Group discussion
• Divide the participants into groups.
• Explain the story of the two sisters. (As in annexure A)
• Ask each of the groups to discuss and prepare steps of PFA in
the situation.
• Each group then makes their presentation.

In giving Psychological First Aid , remember:

• This is Psychological First Aid not professional treatment.

• Accept the limitations.
• Culturally appropriate ways are to be adapted to help people.
• Eventually make the survivor self-dependent.

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Annex 5.1

TWO LITTLE GIRLS…

One day two little girls, named Sita and Geeta and their mother were going back to their house after
school. They were talking about their forthcoming exams. Suddenly a cycle rickshaw came and struck
Sita! Sita got hurt on her elbow and it was bleeding. She started crying and mother shocked and
worried rushed to pick her up. All the people around the scene also came to help Sita.

Meanwhile Geeta was watching all this. She sat on the pavement and started to cry.

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 5.Organization of emotional support brigade

Psychological First Aid can be applied in an organized and effective manner at the time of disaster in
a community if the community prepares a brigade and entrusts it with the responsibility to do so. Such
a brigade can be called Emotional Support Brigade.

5. What is Emotional Support Brigade ?

It is a group of people comprising men and women, adults and adolescents who have the capacity of
providing Psychological First Aid at the time of an adverse event, to re-stabilize the individual and the
support systems of the community.

5.1 What is the purpose of the Emotional Support Brigade ?

Purpose of the Emotional Support Brigade is to develop self-confidence, trust and security amongst
the people facing a difficult situation and also the first responders.

What are the principles of Emotional Support Brigade?

The principles of Emotional Support Brigade:

Teach the children, adolescents and adults that it is normal to have a series of reactions after an
adverse event.
Show them how sharing their feelings will help them understand and accept the situation.
Reduce the risk of reactions developing into more severe problems (see lesson 6).

5.2 Who can be an Emotional Assistant (member of the brigade offering Psychological first
Aid) ?

Activity-11:
Role play on the abilities of an emotional assistant:
Procedure- One participant will act as a survivor from any crisis/disaster and
another participant will act as a emotional assistant. A crisis situation will be given
by the promoter. Finally, the whole group of participants will discuss on the
abilities of an emotional assistant.
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5.3 How can psychological First Aid be applied to the community in disaster?
The Emotional assistant should possess the following abilities:

He/she should:

• Be a patient listener.
• Be available at the time of an adverse event.
• Not be judgmental.
• Not give his/her own interpretation to the survivor’s story.
• Be empathetic.
• Be able to observe the survivor’s body language and facial
expressions.
• Be able to foster immediate coping.
• Be able to make the survivors self-dependent.
• Be able to respect the dignity of the survivors.
• Be able to maintain confidentiality.
• Be caring and patient.
• Be able to reinforce the feeling of security, hope and trust.
• Be able to focus on the immediate needs of the survivor.
• Be focused on transforming the situation of being “victims to victors”.

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5.4 How to form the Emotional Support Brigade ?

It can be formed in three steps:

Step 1.
Recognize the necessity and importance of Emotional Support Brigade in schools, community and
the families.
Identify the existing organizations that can work hand in hand with the brigade.
Identify the persons who have the capacity to be a part of the brigade.
Step 2.
Establish the protocol for intervention for the situation of emergency.
Elaborate the plan of action for the brigade.
Organize workshops for children, adolescents, men, women and elderly.
Step 3.
Selection of members.
Selection of co-ordinator for the brigade.
Define roles and responsibilities for the other members of the brigade.
Practice the plan of operation.

What are the roles of the Emotional Support Brigade in the various phases of the Disaster ?

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5.5 Roles of the Brigade before the disaster:
Conduct programs to educate the schools and the community. Practice the plan of action at regular
intervals.
Decide the protocol of interventions.

5.6Roles of the Brigade during the disaster (0-96hrs):

Provide Psychological First Aid to the survivors and the first responders.
Conduct the rapid assessment of the number of deaths, injured, homeless, at risk .
Re-unite the loved ones.
Foster the feeling of security and self-confidence amongst the survivors.
Conduct activities that bring the community together. For example, community kitchens, religious
communes and mass mourning.

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5.7 Roles of the Brigade after the disaster (3 months- 2years):
Continue to offer Psychological First Aid to the affected people.
Conduct group activities to facilitate sharing of feelings amongst the survivors.
Conduct activities for recreation for different groups in the community.
Provide information to parents about their children’s reactions and how to deal with them.
Strengthen support systems. Continue to foster activities that bring the community together.

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 Annex 5.2

Pre/post evaluation

Name:_____________________________________________Date:_______________

Institute/School:__________________________________________________

Place:___________________________________________________________

Please encircle the correct answer

1. A person can recover faster after True False
a disaster if s/he has support.
2. When a person is injured s/he True False
needs first aid not Emotional
support.
3. One should not accept all the True False
feeling expressed by a disaster
survivor.
4. Will power and faith in God are True False
enough to overcome crises.
5. Only a doctor can help a person True False
who is sad and depressed.
6. Consoling is more important then True False
listening in Psychological
First Aid.(PFA).
7. Crisis events occur unexpectedly. True False
8. All stressful events are negative. True False
9. Psychological First Aid also True False
involves Physical First Aid.
10. Getting married can be stressful. True False
11. Crisis occur once in a lifetime. True False
12. Psychological First Aid is only for True False
the survivors.
13. Only psychologists and True False
psychiatrists can deliver
Psychological First Aid.
14. Social and Community networks True False
help individuals cope with Crisis.
15. Psychological First Aid means True False
giving advice.

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 SESSION GUIDELINES TO MODULE-V
Day-1

Se Content A Resour Time

rial c ces
no. t
i
v
i
t
y
1. Recap of the previous day’s Discussion Materials as 20 minutes
sessions Presentation required 10 minutes
Introduction to module-V
2. Pre Test Pre evaluation Test sheets 15 minutes
(Annex 5.1)
3. Introduction to Psychological Lecture Activity 1 60 minutes
First Aid Brainstorm
Exercise

4. Concept of Stress & Lecture Activity 2 60 minutes

Reactions Brainstorm
to Stress Exercise
5. Nonverbal communication Lecture Activity 3 90 minutes
Brainstorm Activity 4

Role plays Activity 5

Demonstration Activity 6
6. Psychological First Aid Steps, Presentation Activity 7 120 minutes
Situations & Principles Demonstration
Brainstorm

7. Emotional support brigade- Lecture Activity 11 60 minutes

roles Brainstorm
Total 7 hrs.15 minutes

Day-2

Serial No. Content Activity Resources Time

8. Introduction to Trifolds Demonstration & Activity 8 30 minutes
Exercise
9. Psychological First Aid 5 Role plays Each Activity 9 150 minutes
Practical: ROLE PLAY emphasizing a steps

Group activity: Story Activity 10

121 -
 of two sisters
10. Importance of PFA Lecture Materials as required 40 minutes
Demonstration
11. Application in the Discussion 20minutes
community/school (tips)
12. Recapitulation of lesson Presentation 30 minutes
learnt-2 days Brainstorm
13. Post test Post evaluation Test sheets 15 minutes
Total 4 hrs.45 minutes

MODULE-VI

TEACHING METHODS

122 -
 Lesson Plan

OBJECTIVE:

The participants on finishing the module will be able to define and emphasize the objectives of
teaching.

Expected Outcome :

The participants will be able to :

• Use at least three techniques of teaching.

Pre test (Annex 6.1)

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 INTRODUCTION

Define the fundamental principles of ethics. Define training and information. Move on to
management of a class. Elaborate a lesson plan. Use of visual aid. Furnitures and equipment
necessary in a training. Methods of evaluation types of tests and exams.

1-INFORMATION:

1.1 -Chart of doubts:

This chart or poster is used when the main instructor doesn’t have a proper reply to the
required doubt of some of the participants and the reply is placed on this chart, in order to be
answered along the course or at the end of it.

1.2 -Way of Evaluating the Course:

Presentation of the course:
Every person who has received the Course of Methodology for Crisis Intervention, must
prepare a Lesson Plan, which will be used to give courses of Psychological First Aid This will serve
as a final Evaluation and help establish the quality of the instructor.

1.3 -Nomenclature to be used:

MP Manual of the Participants.
MD Material of distribution.
MR Material of Reference.
MI Material for the Instructor.
MIE Material Evaluating Instructor.
PL Lesson plan.
CF Flipchart
DP Slide
TR Slide sheets.
VD Video Cassette.

1.4 -Fundamental Principles of Ethics:

No Instructor can object to another one who is conducting a training , if you are present as a
participant. On the contrary one should help the instructor to get out from any embarrassing
situation.
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 Will pay attention when any person is speaking (everybody has the right to be listened to).
Don’t neglect any person speaking or answering in an incorrect or inadequate way (Every
question or reply is very worthy).
When carrying out a training the instructor cannot give any privilege to any person due to
favouritism.
Every instructor has to:
1-Dress in a proper manner according to the culture of the community. Not to draw
attention.
2- Have the material ready beforehand.
3- Study the assigned topic.
4- Be well versed with the topic in order to give a better training to the people who are
receiving it.

2-TRAINING AND INFORMATION:

2.1- Definition of training:
Experience of Teaching-learning designed and practised in such a way that it can guarantee
to the participants full realisation of the established objectives. The teaching formation should
answer the three basic questions of the training, that are:
1-Where am I heading ?
Towards: the Objective

2- How do I reach it ?
Through a Methodology.

3-How do I know I have reached it ?

Through the Evaluation.

2.2- Aims of the training:

To guarantee the capacity for a determined activity, either physical or mental Characteristics of
the Training:
Good transmission of knowledge
The level of the reached learning can be evaluated
Enables determination of which areas are up to the mark
It is in keeping with the stated objectives.
It is oriented towards a training that implements the objectives.
They are achieved through:
 Information.
 Interaction.
 Evaluation.

2.3- Definition of information:

 Action that has as an aim to transmit data, opinions, facts and knowledge.

2.4- Aims of the information:

Let participants know the contents of a matter, either theoretical or practical.

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 Features of the information:
 There is no set rule for judging excellence in performance levels of participants
regarding the given information.
 Lessons are generally from instructor to instructed.
 The level of learning or knowledge acquired, is difficult to evaluate.
 The receiver selects freely the information that is presented.
 The duration of knowledge retained is uncertain.
 The presentation is done either through a spoken report, or in writing, or by electronic
means.
 When it is spoken the time for questions is very limited and handled only by the
presenter.
 There should be minimum diversion caused by instructor or participants from the topic
of discussion

3 MANAGEMENT OF A CLASS:

3.1-How to use the knowledge of a participant ?

When we have the participation of people that give opinions or ask questions that will be seen
later, then the instructor must return the question to the same person, so he can reply it by himself.

3.2-Flow of ideas:
This technique is used when a question is asked and the instructor doesn’t know how to
answer it. Then the question is returned to everybody, so everybody can give their opinion and
the instructor can obtain the reply with the help of participants.

3.3-Use of the chart of doubts of Red Cross:

When the solution to the required question is not found either by the participants or by the
instructor, main or auxiliaries, it will be placed in the chart so that in the next opportunity or
before the course or the workshop is over the proper solution can be found.

3.4- How to dress?

This will depend on the place where he or she goes to and the type of people with whom we
work. For instance:
 A formal dress is not to be worn in the communities.
 In the student centres it is not recommended to go with buttons or any kind of
ornamentation of the institution because they are a distracting factor for the
participants.
 On the business level one has to wear a very formal dress.

3.5-Comunication:
1-Definition:
Exchange of understanding between two or more persons

2-Ways to communicate:
2.1-Verbal communication:

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  It is the art through which we communicate with each other, through speaking.

2.2- Non-verbal communication:

 We can communicate adequately with other people through mime and it can be done by
moving the hands.

3.6-Speech:
Definition:
 Art of expressing oneself with propriety, to please, persuade, move or convince
through words.

3.7- Noise, the distracting factor:

In any training programme we should find a proper place without noises, because this could
distract the participants, and they may not hear the speeches properly, the knowledge they
may get could be very distorted In such cases, the Red Cross cannot guarantee the capability
of the people supposedly trained.
4-ELABORATION OF A LESSON PLAN:

4.1- What is a lesson plan ?

It is a working guideline that helps the instructor to prepare and present a lecture or of
training, according to the mentioned objectives, the profile of the participants and the
available resources.

4.2-What is a lesson plan for ?

It is a useful guide to help us know what equipment and material are required in the
preparation and presentation of the lecture.

4.3- How to make a lesson plan ?

The design of any lesson plan must be very simple and should include the methods of use if
easily understood, it must never be complex, so that any instructor can use it for an effective
training to achieve the objectives previously established.It is suggested that a lesson plan
should contain five(5) components or in some cases even less.
1-Introduction:
Introduce self , the instructor
• Personal presentation of the instructor
• Introduction of the Auxiliary instructors.
• Introduction of the collaborators
• Presentation of the lecture
 Topic to be dealt with
 Methodology to be used
 Duration of the lecture
 Exercises
 Workshops in teams.
 Evaluation

2-Development of the topic:

• This is the main part of the plan related to the preparation and presentation.
• This is where the manner and process of presentation of the contents of the topic is
elaborated.

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 3-Review:
• The Instructor will present a brief and very short summary of what he has taught .
• He receives the questions from the participants and either he replies to them or guides
them to find the solutions to their questions by themselves.

4-Evaluation:
• This is to verify how much knowledge has been transmitted to the participants on the
topic and if the aims or objectives of the course or workshop have been achieved.
5-Closing:
• It is the moment fixed to hand over the MD, MR or any other material that can be
used in the development of the course or workshop, making final recommendations.
The lesson or topic being taught next is mentioned.

Note:
 In the case of the Red Cross courses, we will count only on the four (4) first
components, because the evaluation of the course will be done at the end of the course in its
totality and not at the end of each of the lecture or topic.

Material Contents Observations

5-HOW TO ELABORATE ON THE VISUAL AID ?:

5.1-What is visual aid ?

Visual Aid complements the presentation and reinforces the learning and retention of
knowledge through visual images or other means.

5.2-What is a flip chart ?

This is a big piece of paper of approximately 90 x 70 cms. It is arranged on an easel of the

kind the painters use.
The size of graphic material is enough to allocate texts supporting the lecture and the instructor
can use them in his lecture.
5.2.1-Features of a good flip chart:
 It must show letters with a size of 4 cms. Each one should be seen by
every person and from any part of the classroom.
 It must use clear and simple letters, without any ornamentation.

128 -
  It must use capital and small letters.
 It must use a maximum of 10 rows, NOT more. It is suggested that all the
letters are with thick markers and NOT with fine ball point pens. They can be of
different colours to make them more attractive.
 Don’t use more than three (3) different colours in one single presentation.
 The best kind of paper to be used is the plain white one, without printed
lines.
5.2.2-Advantages of flip chart:
 It can be used in any place.
 It is available anywhere.
 It is very cheap.
 It is easy to handle and improvise upon.
 It doesn’t require electric power.
 It can be prepared beforehand
 It can be put away and be used later on in a similar training.
 It can be written on during the lesson.

5.2.3-Disadvantages of a flip chart:

 It is not very appropriate for presenting very complex graphics.
 The paper can be spoiled easily.
 It can only be used for small groups.
 The transport of the easel is a little difficult.

5.3-What is a slide ?
It is a still picture on a film that can be projected. The instructor uses it to make a topic
clearer, choosing some photographs that show, in a better manner what he means to
communicate.

5.3.1-Features of a good slide:

• The suggested size of the letter, in the screen, is of 18 points. You can include,
not only letters but also drawings, photographs, or even graphics.

5.3.2-Advantages of a slide:
• Because of its size it is easy to put away.
• It screens photographs very clearly.
• It can be used in a big space for a lot of people at the same time.

5.3.3-Disadvantages of a slide:
Equipment is expensive:
 Slide projector.
 Screen.
• Expensive cost of material
It requires electric power.
It requires complete darkness in the place where it is shown.
The texture of the material is fragile.
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5.4. What are acetate or slide sheets ?
It is a sheet previously elaborated upon. Usually it is composed in a computer and requires a
special projector called Rear-projector to be seen by the participants.
5.4.1-Features of a good slide sheet (TR):
It is a visual aid. It can include graphics made with different colours. Each colour will
have a meaning, that will be:

 RED Danger
 YELLOW Cordiality.
 GREEN Welfare.
 BLUE Serenity.
 PURPLE Formality.
• Any slide sheet (TR) must be loaded with a maximum of ten (10) lines.
• The graphics (drawings, charts of bars, charts of circles, etc) must be lightly
loaded.
• Any drawing can go accompanied by texts.
• It is recommended the size of the letters be between:
 Minimum 18 POINTS. (0.50 c.ms.)
 Intermediate 24 POINTS. (0.70 c.ms.)
 Maximum 36 POINTS. (1 c.ms.)

5.4.2-Advantadges of a slide sheet:

• Easy transport.
• It helps in large groups
• It can be:

 Used without completely darkening the room.

 Can be written on at the moment of the exhibition.
 Made either by acetate or ordinary and regular plastic.

5.4.3-Disadvantadges of a slide sheet:

• It requires expensive equipment, such as:

 Rear-projector.
 Screen
• They are very fragile
• Electric power is required.

5.5-What is a blackboard ?
It is the most ordinary visual aid that can be used by an instructor in a training programme.

5.5.1-Features of a good blackboard:

 It can be found in any place where there is an area of training, either for
companies, community or educational centres.
 There can be different types of blackboards

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 5.5.1.1-Types of blackboards.
 There are two (2) main types, which are:
 Fixed on a wall
 Portable
 They can differ according to the material used.

1-Painted black-boards:
It can easily be seen in student centres. These blackboards are
usually painted in black or green.

2-Black-boards made of “Sunmica”:

These are made of white sunmica, but special markers are needed for
this kind of material, These kinds of blackboards require the use of pins
or nails, stick paper or cardboard, that can be elaborate at that very
moment or before the training.
3- Black-boards made of “Duroport”:
These kind of blackboards requires the use of pins or nails, stick paper
or cardboard, that can be elaborate at that very moment or before the
training.

4-Black-board made of “Felt”:

These can be used when the training programme is for children and
it may display drawings for their understanding.

5.5.2-Advantadges of a blackboard.
 It is easy to obtain.
 We can erase easily.
 It doesn’t require electric power.

5.5.3-Disadvantadges of a blackboard:
 It is difficult to carry.
 It doesn’t allow for storing information.
 It is only for small groups.

5.6-Audiovisual means:
It is excellent equipment to use because you can see and hear at the same time. The
information you want to give to the participants has a double impact of sight and sound.

5.6.1-Features of a good audio-visual method:

• Two (2) machines are to be used, these are:
 Television.
 Video-recorder
• It can show a scene, with sound of whatever he is presenting.
• Electrical power is required.

5.6.2-Advantages of an audio-visual means:

• It allows a complete illustration.
131 -
 • Excellent presentation.
• It presents visuals by other means.
• Ideal to motivate, move and reflect upon.
• It can be used for large groups if there is a provision of a video projector.
• Its broadcast reaches any age.
• Copies of videocassettes can be reproduced to reduce cost, but the quality
reduces considerably
• It doesn’t require full darkness.

5.6.3-Disadvantages of audio-visual means:

 It is fragile equipment to carry.
 Electric power is required.
 A conventional television can cover only small groups
 The production of a good quality video is very expensive.
 It requires of a specialised personnel.

COPY
6-HOW DO WE USE OUR VISUAL AID ?

6.1. How do we use a flip chart ?

When you count on a Graph paper (PG) to train a group of persons, you must use it in an
appropriate way, because if it is not so, you can have a problem instead of a help, and it
can also spoil the presentation. We can give some suggestions for proper use.
Novel ways:
• Covering the text.
• Covering the page to be presented.
• Notes in the flip chart.
• Preparation of the material beforehand.

7- TRAINING:

7.1-Definition of training:
To teach in a simple comprehensible way so that a participant can imbibe the knowledge within
a short specified time, accomplished stated objectives:
1-Where do I go ?
 We have to pre-fix all the objectives we intend to achieve.
2-How do I reach them ?

132 -
  We have to elaborate all the means to get the training to happen, through a
proper methodology.
3-How do I know that I have reached ?
 We will verify the achievement of the objective through the evaluation.

7.2—Goals of the training:

To guarantee the capacity to perform any specific activity, either physical or mental.

7.3-Features of the training:

• A good transmission of knowledge is guaranteed.
• Learning through communication is obtained.
• It determines which tasks are accomplished.
• It is in line with the contents that correspond to the objectives.
• It leads to the achievement of the objectives, as well as the performance and the
training.
• They achieve through the presentation that contains:
 Information
 Interaction
 Evaluation

7.4-Methods of Training:
• Set of procedures oriented to the completion of the pre-established objectives, in the
process of teaching learning.
1-Self-teaching:
• It is one of the most used methods in individual teaching and it depends very much on
the personal interest, helping in achieving of knowledge.

Means such as these are used:

 Books.
 Magazines.
 Video- cassette.
 Cassette for video-recorders.

2-Lecture by a professor:
In this kind of teaching the professor talks and the students listen and take notes.

3-Interactive teaching:
• The instructor makes a presentation of knowledge, skills and abilities about a specific
topic towards a particular objective
C.1-Sharing technique:
• Audio-visual means either by training or through
Performance.
• The interactive system of learning, for the completion of the objectives.
Flow of ideas.
A. Team work
B. Drama performances
• Among the interactive methods of teaching we can mention:

133 -
 C.1.1-Programmed book:
During the reading of the book, the participant has the chance to
interact with it.
C.1.2-Study of cases:
It is based on facts or real situations.

C.1.3-Electronic means:
• Through already programmed computers.
• Through a video or audiocassette.

C.1.4-Simulation and pretence:

Simulation
It is a laboratory exercise, a game of roles, which are carried out in
a classroom.

Pretension:
It is a drama presentation that is carried out directly in the place where the problems will
occur..

NOTE:
In the training, both are activities that must be preceded by teaching
the necessary skills and knowledge to solve the problems which are
staged.

It is a participative method that is used in communities and is popular,

being a reflection of the experiences. It is introduced in three
important phases:
Experiences.
Orientation
Practice

C.1.6-Demonstration and practice:

It is used to teach ‘teaching psychomotor actions’, that is purely
practical; such as -
Undo, assemble, adjust, put together, and operate.

C.1.7-Interactive presentation:
This is one of the ways of the “interactive method of teaching”, which
is mostly used for the training of people because the interaction is for
the instructor as well as for the participants.

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8-FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT:
8.1-Appropriate conditions for a classroom:
• Good lighting/enough light.
• The best location should be a place where there is not much noise.
• Appropriate ventilation.
• Proper furniture depending on the kind of training to be given. It could be:
 Desks, if it would be a professor lecture.
 Tables and chairs, if it is for an interactive training.
 Without any kind of furniture if it is to be a demonstrative training.
 For audio-visual presentations ,electric power is needed to connect the necessary
equipment machinery, such as:
 Rear-projector.
 Slide projector.
 Television
 Video-recorder.

8.2-Placing of the furniture and equipment according to the type of training:

Different options for the placing of the equipment in a large classroom will be shown,
according to the type of training:

Lounge for Lectures

Lounge for Interactive Training in “U” shape

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Lounge for Interactive Training in “V” shape

Lounge for Interactive Training with desks in “Rows”

Auditorium

Area for practice

136 -
 Lounge with desks for Practice

Lounge for Large Sessions

8.3- Equipment necessary in a training is according to the

Requirements of the participants:

1- Community based:
Usually in these places we do NOT have electric power, so only a previously elaborated PG
is needed, and a few in white along with some markers of different colours. This is to be
137 -
 able to distribute them for different groups. .The ideal material required per community is as
follows:
 50 sheets for PG in white colour.
 8 markers of BLACK colour (Permanent)
 8 markers of BLUE colour. (Permanent)
 8 markers of RED colour. (Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard of BLACK colour. (Not Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in BLUE colour. (Not Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in RED colour. (Not Permanent)
 1 eraser to clean the blackboard.

2- Centre for Students:

These places have electric power, so CF, TR, DP and VD can be used and the
requirements are more, and among them we can mention:
 Television and video-recorder.
 Rear-projector.
 Slide projector.
 Screen
 Set of:
 Slide sheets (TR)
 Slides. (DP)
 Videocassettes. (VD)
 Flip chart (CF)
 Easel for the (CF).
 50 sheets for the white (CF).
 8 markers of BLACK colour (Permanent)
 8 markers of BLUE colour. (Permanent)
 8 markers of RED colour. (Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in BLACK colour. (No Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in BLUE colour. (No Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in RED colour. (No Permanent)
 1 eraser to clean the black-board

3- Companies and Industrial zones:

As in the student centres, the COMPANIES do have electric power, so we can use PG, TR,
DP and VD, so the requisites are larger, and among them we can mention:
 Television and video-recorder.
 Rear-projector.
 Slide projector.
 Screen
 Set of:
 Slide sheets (TR)
 Slides. (DP)
 Video-cassettes. (VD)
 Flip chart (CF)
 Easel for (CF).
 50 sheets for white (CF).
 8 markers of BLACK colour (Permanent)
138 -
  8 markers of BLUE colour. (Permanent)
 8 markers of RED colour. (Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in BLACK colour. (No Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in BLUE colour. (No Permanent)
 2 markers for blackboard in RED colour. (No Permanent)
 1 eraser to clean the black-board

9-METHODS FOR EVALUATION:

9.1-Definition of evaluation:

Verification the achievement of the objectives by a test or exam through which the participant
will show that he has reached the required level.
9.2-Types of tests and exams:

In order to have a better criterion for the results, in the Red Cross a series of exams are
conducted, among them we can mention:

1-Test or exams on knowledge:

1.1Definition
 It is the confirmation of the acquired knowledge on the part of the
participants, through a test, either in oral or in written exam.

1.2-Written exam:
 It is the test or exam that is given to the participant in a written form.
Among them we can mention:

1.2.1-Fill up the blanks:

 In this kind of test or exam, a sentence is written and the
participant has to complete it.

1.2.2-Multiple choice:
 In this kind of test or exam, a question mark is pointed out
and among 4 or 5 answers, only one is correct or incorrect.

1.2.3-True or False:
Certain statements are made. The Participants have to recognise them as being correct or incorrect,
that is, true (if correct) or false(if incorrect)

1.2.4-Searching of answers:
There are two columns. One has definitions, the other has the topics. The right topic has to be paired
with the right definition.

1.3-Oral exam:
139 -
  In this kind of test or exam direct questions are made to the participants
who answer orally.

2- Test or exams of performance, aptitudes and skills:

2.1-Definition:

This kind of test or exams brings out the knowledge applicable to the skills that
each participant can show after a training.

2.2-Theoretical and practical test:

In this kind of test or exam they verify the knowledge as well as the skills that a
person can achieve after the adequate training in the area of formation and
orientation of the Red Cross, to be able to offer appropriate attention to all those
who are in need.

2.2.1-Pretence/make-believe.
 It is an activity that is carried out directly at the same place
where, probably, the problem will happen.

WORKING GROUP:

Working Groups prepare material for the presentation of Psychological First Aid Course. They are
often formed from outside the Red Cross members. Can be other volunteers from within the
community/ group to be trained. S The material that they must have are:
A-Flip chart (CF).
B-Lesson plan. (PL).
C-Some additional visual materials.

INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION:
This will be carried out in groups, previously formed to impart the Course of Psychological First Aid,
in a period of 16 hours.
140 -
Tips for Instruction :
Learner

Facilitator Instructor

• Put on difference roles according to the participants, situations, objectives of training.

• Be comfortable.
• Trust your group. They will take you through your lesson.
• Be friendly and open to new learning.

Annex 6.1

TAECHING METHODS

Pre/Post Evaluation
Name:_________________________________Date:_______________

Institute/School to which he/she belongs:_______________________

Place:_____________________________________________________

 (Mark your response in the box:)

141 -
 Q .No. Questi Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree Don’t
on Agree disagree know
1. ‘Every
question or
reply is very
worthy’
Is one of the
fundamental
principles of
ethics.
2. ‘Learning
through
communication
is guaranteed’
not a
characteristic
of training.’
3. While
attending a
classroom a
formal dress
with any kind
of ornament is
not a
distracting
factor.
4. A lesson plan
is not a
working
guideline that
helps the
instructor.
5. The features of
a flip chart
must show
letters with a
size of 8 c.ms.
And should be
seen by a
particular
person.
6. The
disadvantage
of a slide
requires
complete
darkness in
the place
where it is
shown.

142 -
7. Blackboard is
the most
ordinary visual
aid.
8. ‘To guarantee
the capacity to
perform any
specific
activity. Either
physical or
mental’ is a
feature of the
training.
9. Interactive
teaching
includes
sharing
technique.
10. Simulation
means a
drama
presentation.

SESSION GUIDELINES TO MODULE-VI

143 -
 Contents Activity Resources Time
Recap of the previous day’s Discussion Materials as 20 minutes
sessions Presentation required
Introduction to module-VI
10 minutes
Pre test Pre evaluation 1.1 Test sheets 20 minutes
1. Information 1.2 Lecture Materials as 30 minutes
1.1 Chart of doubts. Brainstorm required
1.2 Fundamental
principles of ethics. Demonstration
2.Training and information 1.3 Lecture Materials as 40 minutes
2.1 Definition Brainstorm required
2.2 Aims
2.3Characteristics

3. Management of a class Presentation by the

3.1 how to use the participants 30 minutes
knowledge of a participants.
3.2 Flow of ideas
3.3 How to dress?
3.4 Speech and noise.
3.5Communication
4. Elaboration of a lesson Brainstorm Materials as 60 minutes
plan. required
4.1 What is lesson plan? Demonstration
4.2 How to make a lesson
plan ? Presentation by the
participants
5. How to elaborate on the Lecture Materials as 30 minutes
visual aid ? required
5.1 What is visual aid? Brainstorm
5.2 What is flip chart (CF) ?
5.3 Advantages and
disadvantages.
5.4 what is a slide? Presentation by the
5.5 what are slide sheets? participants 60 minutes
5.6 what is blackboard?
5.7 what is audio visual?
6. How do we use our visual Lecture Materials as
aid? required
6.1 How to use a graph Brainstorm
paper. Presentation by the
7. Training participants 60 minutes
7.1 Definition
7.2 Goals
7.3 Features
7.4 Methods.

144 -
145 -
8. Furniture and equipment. Lecture Materials as 30 minutes
8.1 Appropriate conditions required
for a classroom. Brainstorm
8.2 Placing of the furniture
and equipment.
8.3 Necessary equipments 30 minutes
in training. Presentation by the
participants
9. Methods of evaluations. Lecture Materials as 40 minutes
9.1 Definition Brainstorm required
9.2 Types of tests and Presentation by the
exams. participants
Post Test Post 20 minutes
Evaluati Test
on shee
ts
Total 8 hour

146 -
 Annex no: 6.2

COURSE EVALUATION

CHECK YOUR ANSWER:

1. How would you rate the quality of the follow-up training sessions ?

Excellent Good Fair Poor

2. Was the speed of delivery of presentation:

Too fast Too slow Just right

3. Did you think the topics were relevant ? If so:

Yes, very relevant Not at all relevant Some what

4. Would you recommend more sessions like this in your community ?

No, definitely not Yes, maybe Yes, definitely.

5. Do you think the topics of the session will help in your daily life ?

Yes, they will No, they will not To some extent.

6. Do you feel better prepared to deal with a disaster or a crisis now ?

Yes, definitely Not at all To some extent

7. Do feel better prepared to assist someone affected by a disaster or in a crisis ?

Yes, definitely Not at all To some extent

8. Would you like to attend another session like this in the future ?

Yes, definitely Not at all To some extent

9. Was the language of the sessions easy to understand ?

Yes Not at all To some extent

10. Was the training environment comfortable for learning ?

147 -
 Yes, very No, not really It was ok.

Do you have any other comments ?

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• Bryce, C.P (2001). Stress Management in Disasters. Emergency Preparedness and Disaster
relief Coordination Program. Washington.D.C: Pan American Health Organization. World
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relief Coordination Program. Washington.D.C: Pan American Health Organization. World
Health Organization.

• Center for Mental Health (2000). Disaster Mental Health Response Handbook. North Sydney,
NSW

• Cohen, R E (2000). Mental Health Services in Disasters: Instructors Guide. Mexico.

Washington.D.C: Pan American Health Organization/Editorial El Manual Moderno

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Public Health Guide for Emergencies. Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University, School of
Public health.

• Gupta, M C. Sharma, V K. Gupta, L C. Tamini, B K. (ed) (2001). Manual on Natural

Disaster Management in India, National Centre for Disaster Management. New Delhi:
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Switzerland: IFRC

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 • National Institute of Mental Health (2002). Mental Health and Mass Violence: Evidence-Based
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Consensus on Best Practices. NIH publication NO.12-5138, Washington D.C: US Government
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Prewitt Diaz, J O (2002). Apoyo Psicosocial en Desastres un modelo para

Guatemala: Guatemala: Cruz Roja Guatemalteca/ Cruz Roja Americana

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Washington, D C: Pan American Health Organization
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Traumatization. New York: Norton.

• Sekar, K Bhadra, S. Jayakumar, C (2003). My Workbook. Workshop on Psychosocial aspects

in Disaster Management. Department of Psychiatric Social Work. Bangalore: NIMHANS

• Slaikeu, K A. (1984). Crisis Intervention, A Handbook for Practice and Research. Second
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Centre. Addis Ababa.

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Populations Exposed to Extreme Stressors. Geneva: WHO. WHO/MSD/MER/03.01

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Washington, D C: National Organization for Victim Assistance

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relief Coordination Program. Pan American Organization. World Health Organization.
Washington.D.C.

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relief Coordination Program. Pan American Organization. World Health Organization.
Washington.D.C.

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Organization/Editorial El Manual Moderno,Mexico. Washington.D.C.

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• Curtis, R(1995)Outdoors Action Guide to Group Dynamics and Leadership. Princeton: New
Jersey. Princeton University.

• Disaster Mental Health Response Handbook (July 2000). Center for Mental Health, North
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(Inside Back Cover)

The Sphere Guidelines and Psychological support.

A group of ngos across the globe joined the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement to form the
Sphere Project, in 1997. Their objective was to strengthen the services offered, with a minimum
standard of quality and inherent accountability. Disaster affected people were to be helped to a life
with dignity. The aim of the sphere project is to improve the quality of humanitarian assistance
provided to people affected by disasters, and to enhance accountability in disaster response.
Standard III mental and social aspects of health:
People have access to social and mental health service to reduce mental health morbidity,
disability and social problems.
Guidelines

1) Information should be disseminated according to the principles of risk communication. Access

to information reduces unnecessary public anxiety and distress.

2) Burials Families should have the option to see the body of a loved one after his/her death if
allowed by their cultural norms. Hasty and uncaring disposal of bodies of the dead should be
avoided.

3) Psychological first aid acute distress among the general population or among aid workers
following exposure to extremely stressful conditions is best managed by the principles of
psychological first aid. It focuses on
• Listening rather than enforcing talk;
• Assessing needs and ensuring that the basics are met
• Encouraging social contact and
• Protecting people from further harm.
This type of first aid can be taught to both volunteers and professionals. Health workers are
cautioned not to prescribe powerful medicines because of the risk of dependence.

4) Care for urgent psychiatric complaints

Urgent psychiatric conditions such as psychoses, severe depression and mania can be
dangerous to oneself and others. These should be referred to psychiatrists and mental health
experts.

5) Community based psychological interventions These should be based on an

Assessment of existing services and an understanding of the socio-cultural context. Coping
mechanisms to help individuals and communities gain a control over the circumstances, must be
functional and culturally acceptable. To better help the vulnerable and minority groups, community
workers must be trained to assist health workers and conduct outreach activities.

151 -
152 -