KonTerra Resilience Services

KonTerra Resilience Services

Preparing staff before they depart on an assignment, supporting while they are in the field, and checking in with them upon return home is a critical component of ensuring staff wellbeing.

Pre- & Post-Deployment Consultations

In the international development, humanitarian and emergency management fields, staff are often called upon to deploy to difficult locations.

Preparing staff before they depart on an assignment, being available to provide support while they are in the field, and checking in with them at the conclusion of a difficult assignment, is critically important to ensure staff wellbeing. At KonTerra we provide support designing, implementing and delivering pre- and post-assignment consultations. These are structured in a number of ways to best suit the needs of staff deploying to various locations.

Pre-Deployment Resiliency & Stress Management Consultations

Confidential, telephone or video-conference consultation with a KonTerra Staff Care Specialist, prior to assignment/deployment to help staff:

  • Consider the existence and impact of possible stressors and challenges
  • Assess their current potential vulnerability to traumatic stress and personal hardiness and resilience
  • Gain additional insights into the management of chronic and traumatic stress
  • Learn and/or refresh stress management and self-care skills
  • Develop or update a personal self-care plan
  • Discuss personal concerns or needs

These consultations help staff reflect on their personal strengths and vulnerabilities, develop/refine a resilience plan, and lay the groundwork for on-going support if it is desired. They are suitable for staff deployed on long-term assignments to high-stress locations as well as staff who deploy frequently for short-term assignments to high-stress locations.

Consultations During Deployment

While staff are deployed, they may benefit from access to one-on-one resilience and stress management consultations. Common issues faced by staff while on deployment to high-stress locations may include: stress, anxiety, mild depression, sleeplessness, difficulty with peers or colleagues, loneliness/homesickness, etc.

We are available to deliver individual consultations via telephone or video with staff while they are deployed in the field. These consultations can help staff:

  • Discuss personal needs and concerns
  • Learn proven techniques for sustaining emotional wellbeing while on assignment
  • Feel motivated to practice good self-care and stress management while on assignment
  • Get support in adapting their resilience plans given the realities on the ground
  • Obtain referrals to other resources as needed

Post-Deployment Consultations

Confidential consultations upon returning home from an assignment are designed to help staff assess personal strengths and vulnerabilities, process experiences from the deployment, develop a personal transition plan, and lay the groundwork for on-going support if desired.

End of deployment debrief and check-in to assess emotional wellbeing and resilience to help staff:

  • Reflect upon and learn from their experiences during the assignment
  • Discuss personal needs and concerns
  • Review and revise their self-care plan and establish/re-establish good home-base routines
  • Solidify learnings for future assignments
  • Obtain referrals to other resources as needed