Save the Children

Objective
Save the Children is often at the forefront of humanitarian and emergency responses, in some of the most difficult environments in the world. Staff deployed by Save the Children to difficult responses face not only challenging work, but challenging living and operating environments, which we know can cause significant stress and threaten staff resilience. Recognizing this challenge, Save the Children engages The KonTerra Group to provide pro-active support to assist staff deploying to these difficult responses.

Solution
The pre-and post-deployment resilience consultation program is a structured and pro-active approach to assisting staff before, during and after a deployment to a high-stress environment. Working closely with Save the Children, The KonTerra Group designed a protocol which is automatically activated for all staff deploying to a ‘Category 1 or Category 2’ response – the most severe emergencies –anywhere in the world. Prior to departure, each member of staff traveling overseas participates in a 45-60 minute pre-deployment resilience consultation. The confidential consultations are designed to review the staff member’s potential vulnerability to traumatic stress, personal hardiness and resilience and to assist the staff member in the development of a self-care plan. Consultations also assess personal strengths and vulnerabilities, develop/refine a resilience plan and lay the groundwork for on-going support if it is desired. Following the pre-deployment consultation, KonTerra specialists are available to deliver individual consultations via telephone or video-conference with staff while they are deployed in the field. Finally, upon returning home from a deployment, staff participate in another 45-60 minute post-deployment consultation. The post-deployment consultations are designed to review the deployment, 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. Staff are then eligible for additional follow-up sessions with the counselor, for a period of 6 months following the end of assignment, for any issues that may arise.

Result
The service implemented for Save the Children has been extremely successful, due in large part to the structured approach to the program — Save the Children has ‘operationalized’ the service to be a standard part of their deployment protocols. Senior leadership at Save the Children has embraced and promoted the service, ensuring that staff view the program as a tool to help all staff remain strong and resilient while working in difficult conditions, as opposed to an optional service only for those who may be struggling with stress or other challenges. Staff who have utilized the service have provided excellent feedback and positive word-of-mouth promotion internally has also helped staff embrace the services.