PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT HIGH ON THE AGENDA
Photo: ICRC/Marko Kokic, Port-au-Prince, 24 January 2010
11 March 2010 - Psychosocial support, carried out by Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers has made a huge difference to the lives of thousands of earthquake survivors in Haiti and Chile in past weeks and months. Of the 26 delegates the Spanish Red Cross has deployed in Chile, 10 are psychosocial delegates, whose aim it is to train volunteers in community based psychosocial support and psychological first aid, as well as provide support to targeted groups. Numerous aftershocks have added to emotional distress of the Chileans - the psychosocial focus is therefore on strengthening resilience and coping mechanisms.
In Haiti, the extensive psychosocial work that started nearly two months ago, is ongoing in Petit Goave and Carrefour in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. As before, psychosocial support, carried out by delegates and local volunteers, is an integrated part of ERU field hospitals. As the focus of the humanitarian work has changed, the psychosocial work has moved to the streets and into camps for the homeless. Follow the most recent updates by checking out the links below...

- IFRC: Chile earthquake emergency appeal
- IFRC: Chile earthquake news story
- IFRC: Haiti earthquake operation