Psychological First Aid Training

The first step in assisting a person in their own recovery

When you work with people during and after an emergency or disaster, you are working with people who may be having reactions of confusion, fear, hopelessness, sleeplessness, anxiety, grief, shock, guilt, shame, and loss of confidence in themselves and others. Your early contacts with them can help reassure them and alleviate their painful emotions and promote hope and healing.

• Psychological First Aid is a humane , supportive and practical assistance to fellow human beings who recently suffered exposure to serious stressors, and involves;
• Non intrusive , practical care and support,
• Assessing needs & concerns
• Helping people to address basic needs
• Listening but not pressuring people to talk.
• Comforting people and helping them to feel calm
• Helping people connect to information , services and social support
• Protecting people from further harm

The programme is guided by the Red Cross Fundamental Principles of Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service , Unity and Universality , providing a unique approach to connecting with community members in emergencies.

What Does the Programme Cover?

The program will provide participants with knowledge and skills to:

• establish human connections in a non-intrusive and compassionate manner.
• enhance immediate and ongoing safety, providing physical and emotional comfort.
• calm and orient emotionally overwhelmed or distraught survivors, or anyone experiencing distress after exposure to an emergency, including emergency workers.
• help the person experiencing distress verbalise their immediate needs and concerns, and gather additional information as appropriate
• offer practical assistance and information to help the affected person address their needs and concerns.
• connect affected people as soon as possible to social support networks, including family, friends, neighbours, and community resources.
• support adaptive coping, acknowledge coping efforts and strengths, and empower survivors; role in their recovery.
• provide information that may help affected people cope with their psychological impact of disasters.
• normalise natural distress responses
• be clear about availability , and (when appropriate) link the affected person to another member of a disaster response team or to local recovery systems, mental health services, public –sector services and organisations.

Learning Outcomes

Participants in this program will develop the skills to:

• understand emergencies and their effects on people and communities
• understand the benefits of psychological first aid in emergencies
• identify a setting where Psychological First Aid is required
• recognise the signs of distress and triage according to need
• understand the five elements of first aid: promote safety
  •  promote calm
  • promote self and community efficacy
  • promote connectedness
  • instill hope.
• actively use psychological first aid principles of look, listen and link.

Download the Psychological First Aid Training Brochure