AS part of a recent support initiative of the Guyana Red Cross Society the community of North Sophia will act today as the pilot for the introduction of an integrated approach to train and mobilise volunteers from the community.

A cross section of the participants at the five-day workshop.

This effort is part of the Red Cross’ Community Based Health and First Aid in action (CBHFA) which, in the entire region of the Americas; is being rolled out for the first time in the Caribbean.

The pilot is being facilitated through partnerships between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Health Ministry and other stakeholders.

Today’s activity is also part of five-day sub-regional Red Cross facilitators training programme, started on Monday, ongoing at the Grand Coastal Inn.

Under the watchwords ‘Together for Humanity’ several national Red Cross Societies met, including Red Cross volunteers from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, St. Lucia, Belize, Bahamas and St. Vincent.

In North Sophia the volunteers, numbering 28, will be engaging in a practical assessment exercise to boost their understanding of the CBHFA.

The goal of the CBHFA is the creation of a healthy community and since such a process is a lifelong one, the programme is a long-term engagement which begins with a community dialogue/forum that seeks to identify the priorities of the targeted community and organise activities to address these priorities.

Also, CBHFA in action brings together health promotion, injury prevention and response, disaster preparedness and response and risk reduction into a comprehensive community-based initiative that develops the capacity of volunteers in their communities and, by extension, the communities themselves.

To this end, there are seven modules in the programme: one, two and three – Red Cross and mandatory learning; four – First Aid; five – Disaster preparedness and disaster response; six – Health promotion and disease prevention; and seven – priorities of the community.

Mrs. Dorothy Fraser, Secretary-General of the Guyana Red Cross, pointed out that the CBHFA initiative is one that facilitates support in areas that communities sees as their biggest need.

“There might be more emphasis on health and hygiene in some areas and it others it might be more disaster management and others, yet, it might be water and sanitation…It all depend on what the community finds as their need,” she said.

However, she pointed out that the programme was geared in a manner that several areas or all seven modules can be covered.

Also, she noted that this adaptive characteristic of the CBHFA programme enables some aspect of sustainability.

She said, “Because each module can be done over a longer period of time our young people, young volunteers, can have a more intense training.”

Amidst other community efforts, Ms. Fraser asserted that this initiative is one that is imperative for development.

“We would not be doing this if we did not think it was needed…It is extremely important and CBHFA is one way we can help people,” she posited.

Additionally, one facilitator present at the workshop, Mr. Martin Roth, who is also a Red Cross volunteer specialising in First Aid and Disaster Management, explained that the implementation of the CBHFA programme will also be accompanied by mandatory assessment.

He stated that at the end of the workshop each volunteer will be expected to make a written commitment, which will be kept by the facilitating body.

As to the question of funding Roth said attempts to secure financing will be made once a request is placed by a national Red Cross Society.

“The effort here is a continuing one in the line that the community determined the need and works in that need. This will make them more committed and we will enhance the general mandate of the Red Cross,” he said.

At the end of the five days Roth observed that the ultimate aim of the workshop is to train trainers who will advance the Red Cross’ efforts at the community level.

“We want to be able to generate more instructors and those instructors are the ones who will go to the community and start working with this project,” he posited.

In addition to Roth, the other facilitators include Mr. Tim Murphy, Ms. Chloe Gans-Richebert and Ms. Mary Lee Ellis.

Ellis, also the head of capacity building, pointed out CBHFA is an approach that this effort is expected to be effective since it engages volunteers who know the dynamic challenges of their own communities and have a vested interest in development.

She said, “They have a vested interest in helping to make things better, safer, healthier, happier and more peaceful. Because of this CBHFA provides the tools for volunteers and strengthens their link with the Red Cross. Community volunteers do, after all, belong to the community.”

However, she added that there must be volunteer management if the CBHFA is to be successful and sustainable.

According to Mr. Panu Saaristo, the International federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Zone Coordinator, sustainability is necessary in order for the organisation to realise its commitment of reduced deaths, injuries and impact from disease and public health emergencies.

“Community involvement is going to see stronger emphasis. CBHFA is a central component in the organisation’s work in achieving the global agenda goals. It puts the community itself at the forefront, which we believe is the key to success and sustainable change,” he said.

The day sub-regional Red Cross facilitators training activity continues until Friday.