Volunteer Management Advice and Tips on Hurricane Katrina disaster efforts

As we know, there is little we can do to control a natural disaster, but there are some things groups can do to make sure their vital records are retained. For example, all groups should have back-up discs of their vital records that are kept at a place other than the office and updated at least monthly. A safe deposit box is a good idea.

Financial records can be restored by your bank. Banks are required to keep a backup.

Once the initial panic is over, consult with a small group of board members and staff and evaluate your situation: what is it essential that you must try to find? Would board members have copies of these items? Are they on CD? Where?

When it's safe to return to the office, make an inventory of what is there. Put the "essential" things aside and then see what can be done to restore them in order of priority. Http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/emergency.html is an excellent site that tells you how to preserve papers and photographs and lists other helpful websites.

When you meet with your group, discuss what your organization should do in its altered state to fulfill its mission. Decide what is most important, and do that as well as you can. This may well be the time to join with another similar agency or agencies to meet the needs in the community.

Global Facilitator Service Corps

The situation on the Gulf Coast after hurricane Katrina is, in most part, still in the critical and survival stage. In the next days and weeks, however, the emergent psychosocial needs of the survivors will begin to appear and the challenge to help them is enormous. Although FEMA and many other organizations will have Grief Management and Critical Incident Debriefing teams working in the area, they will not come close to meeting all the needs. The Global Facilitator Service Corps is ready to support meeting these needs.

Traditionally, facilitation has not been considered as a tool in disaster intervention. Nonetheless, several facilitation processes for use in grief management workshops and for social reorganization after a disaster have been developed and successfully used in many countries. Publications supporting these processes have been translated into several other languages.

Through the development and support of local networks of volunteer facilitators worldwide, Global Facilitator Service Corps (GFSC) helps build the capacity of communities to work through their challenges and create sustainable solutions. GFSC believes that people and communities are capable of self-determination and that facilitation is an effective catalyst to build, rebuild and sustain self-reliant communities. By sharing knowledge, experience, and caring, GFSC enables communities and the institutions that serve them, to identify and achieve their goals.

GFSC is coordinating several efforts to use its Field Volunteers to train, prepare and mentor other facilitators, professionals and caregivers in Disaster Intervention Facilitation (DIF):

Larry and Bego Meeker (atconcepts@aol.com & mbrmeeker@atctraining.com), with a group of other area GFSC volunteers, are spearheading the efforts in Texas with local groups and organizations to offer DIF Workshops in different localities.

GFSC has many materials on Grief Management, Critical Incident Management and Caring for the Caregiver. They can all be downloaded at: http://www.globalfacilitators.org/VirtLib.htm. GFSC has a dozen GFSC Virtual Mentors that are available 24/7 to support local professionals using its new Hot Conference audio-video-desktop virtual conferencing platform that is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, even a slow dialup. GFSC is in contact with other facilitator organizations such as the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) and the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) to offer support to their groups as needed.

If you are a professional facilitator, you can enter the GFSC Mentored Pathways Field Volunteer program to prepare yourself for future volunteer opportunities. For more information, go to: http://globalfacilitators.org/VolunFormEnEs.htm.

Submitted 9/7/05

First, we are accepting transfer students from Tulane and Loyola Law School. The word is "get here" and we will work out the details of tuition, courses, credit, housing, etc. A constant stream of emails from alumni and students offering all kinds of help is heartwarming. Emory Law School set up a web link as a "virtual Tulane Law School" to allow the Dean to communicate with students, faculty and the law school family at large.

Second, I sent a letter to the entire Law School community. Just like lack of communication seems to be the greatest barrier in the Gulf region, so is lack of information to those who want to help. The letter reminds the students that they may not have much money to donate but the cumulative effect of $10 bills from many people does make a difference.

It also reminds the that the recovery is a long-term process. Patience is a virtue and being tested today. Just knowing that someone is in touch with those who are providing direct aid is a comfort. Knowing that when a finite need is identified, they will be asked to meet that need is a comfort. Asking the students to put the need to help to work locally is important to their own wellbeing. Thre are national organizations charged with providing basic needs, food, water, shelter and clothing. Sending unsolicited goods will only clog up the system. We learned from Hurricane Hugo that after the media leaves and things "look" normal is when long-term needs arrive and where we can make a real impact.

The key, let your volunteers know that someone is in charge and will ask for their help when a realistic opportunity arrives.

Some cities are creating call centers for families to check on missing or displaced relatives. Check with local Volunteer Center, FEMA, Red Cross or United Way to see if they need volunteers to answer phones.

Faith based groups such as Catholic Charities are organizing long term shelters in cities throughout the country to house people displaced by the hurricane. Check with local branches of these group to see how you can help with food, supplies and other assistance.

The Times-Picayune website at http://www.nola.com/ has a lisitng of volunteer opportunties from around the country. Many ways you can reach out and assist with the relief effort.

"Anyone who self-responded was not being put to work. The military was worried about having more people in the city. They want to limit it to the professionals," said Kevin Southerland, a captain with Orange Fire Department in Orange County, CA, a member of one of eight 14-member water rescue teams sent to New Orleans at FEMA's request.

Even skilled volunteers with the best intentions can be more trouble than help if they arrive needing food, shelter or fuel, some say.

This appeared in the Guardian, but is authored by AP Press writer Martha Mendoza – 9/6/05 and submitted by Mary Merrill in Ohio.

With thousands of students affected by Hurricane Katrina forced to improvise on their fall-semester plans, many are inquiring about taking classes elsewhere. CSU Monterey Bay, located on California's Central Coast 2 hours south of San Francisco, is ready to assist those students.

"Our campus is joining a number of the CSUs in opening registration for the fall semester for students affected by Hurricane Katrina. Information is being provided to the media and through a number of higher education forums to those who may need this opportunity," said Interim President Diane Cordero de Noriega.

"Our faculty and staff have come together and agreed to stretch their capacity to assist these students. I am not only proud to be part of a system that cares about serving students and their families, I greatly admire our own CSUMB family for stepping forward."

Says Dennis Geyer, director of Admissions and Records, "We will assist students on a case-by-case basis. We will take applications over the phone and help these students through every step of the process."

September 19, 2005is the last day to apply. Prospective students can call (831) 582-3580 or e-mail: admissions@csumb.edu. For more information, contact Arlene Krebs, Director, Wireless Education & Technology Center, CSU Monterey Bay at: 831-582-5025.

Then a community experiences a major disaster the media coverage brings it into our homes and the natural response is to feel compelled to help. Major disaster relief organizations have extensive training programs to help disaster volunteers be prepared physically and psychologically for what they will be doing. Most major relief organizations are reluctant to allow spontaneous, inexperienced volunteers to help with response and recovery operations. Their reluctance is based on concern for the safety of the victims as well as the safety of the volunteers. This can be frustrating for the person who wants to help as they watch events unfold, only to be rejected when calling to offer assistance.

Sometimes the best way to help is to volunteer for the disaster agencies in your home city. Contact the local Red Cross office and see if they need help answering phones, packing supplies or staffing the office. This can free trained staff to work on disaster relief issues. Managers of volunteers, skilled at interview and referral techniques can be helpful in local call centers, talking with spontaneous volunteers, taking information and explaining valuable ways they can help the relief effort. Contact the local Red Cross, United Way, the Volunteer Center or FEMA and ask how to help locally. One of the best thing spontaneous volunteers can do is raise money. Most Red Cross chapters are willing to give literature or signs to help with a fund raising event and truly appreciate the assistance. The effects of a major disaster continue long after the television coverage ends, and raising money for the long-term relief effort can be a valuable activity. The Red Cross is still working with victims of 9/11. During the emergency most personnel are too busy with relief efforts to devote staff time to fund raising events.

Be very careful about just showing up and expecting to help. Onsite personnel may be stressed, tired and extremely busy. They will not have a lot of time for untrained volunteers. After Hurricane Hugo many people were killed using chain saws (falling limbs and live electrical wires) during the clean up efforts.

All spontaneous volunteers should connect with a relief organization before setting off and on arrival. Report for duty to the person or organization coordinating onsite volunteers. Volunteer Florida (2000) gives the following advice for spontaneous volunteers.

Reference: Volunteer Florida (2000). Unaffiliated Volunteers in Response and Recovery. Tallahassee, FL: Volunteer Florida.
Submitted by: Mary Merrill in Ohio