MC Sync-Link 11

Member Care Update—November 2017

Special News—1 November 2017

During 2017 we are syncing our CORE MC entries with our monthly MC Updates. Essentially, we'll add a monthly weblog entry that contains brief excerpts from the MC Update for that month. By linking their two strap lines together, the purpose and potential for connecting these two MCA tools becomes clear: "expanding the global impact of member care...reflections, research, and resources for good practice." May these materials encourage and equip you as you endeavor to practice member care well, with character, competence, and compassion.

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Helping the Helpers

50 Resources for Humanitarian Workers

(reposted from the Global Integration Update, October 2017)
Click HERE to access it.

ICRC staff in Yemen. Reposted from Global Geneva magazine.

Unbreakable? Recognizing Humanitarian Stress and Trauma (Oct 2017)

“What pushes me to act as a humanitarian?...It’s possible to go two days without eating. But if you have water, you can survive.” “Of course we feel homesick, we are away from our families. But this is the humanitarian world and we have to accept how it is.” “Why would anyone kill a child?” “All these little girls [sexually abused] that came to us. And I have my own girl… [But helping] is the greatest joy that I can have.” Voices from the Field video, United Nations (August, 2014)

 In this Update we focus on the wellbeing and effectiveness (WE) of staff in the humanitarian sector. Organized into six topics, the sample of 50 resources are a mixture of current, core, and classic materials over the years. Several are translated into different languages. Keep in mind that everyone involved in the humanitarian sector benefits from special support to stay resilient and healthy. This includes administrators, managers, leaders, volunteers, international and local/national staff, the family members, and the organizations themselves. 

This Update’s emphasis on humanitarian WE is a follow up and application of the 10 October World Mental Health Day theme of “Mental Health in the Workplace” and the 19 August World Humanitarian Day theme of “#NotATarget.” The resources we feature and reference are also relevant for the overlapping sectors of health, development, mission, etc. We conlcude with a brief reflection on "Knitting the Network..for WE."

Warm greetings from Geneva,

Kelly and Michele

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