Our Upcoming
Research Initiatives
Increasing community resilience using the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment Tool
Research Question:
How does conducting an eVCA increases a community’s ability to cope with disasters?
Research Rationale
According to the IFRC, “the Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA)” is a participatory process developed for communities to become more resilient through the assessment and analysis of the risks they face and the identification of actions to reduce these risks. The Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity (eVCA) has been successfully implemented regionally by various National Societies and is considered to be an important process to helping communities to also take ownership of the actions needed to increase their capacity to cope and decrease their risks and vulnerabilities. The eVCA also allows vulnerable communities to build their resilience under the guidance from various stakeholders.
This case study seeks look at the following:
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Different methods of communication which allows for the exchange of needed information.
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Identify challenges faced with engaging communities.
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Understand the role of Community Disaster Response Team (CDRT) members and volunteers in the eVCA process.
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Identify the main stakeholders needed to ensure the success of the eVCA.
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Understand now eVCAs can be used to help communities decreases their disaster risks and vulnerabilities through microprojects.
Countries Targeted:
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Jamaica
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St Kitts and Nevis
Integrating Persons with Disabilities in CDRT/CERT Training
Research Question:
How can national societies better include persons with disabilities in CDRT/CERT trainings.
Research Rationale
Persons with disabilities and other persons within vulnerable groups, can be disproportionately impacted by disasters and can therefore be more negatively impacted by disasters. The IFRC fully endorses the inclusion and the active participation of persons within vulnerable and marginalized groups in all community discussions and trainings. A great regional example of this is a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training conducted by the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society (TTRCS) with persons with hearing impairments.
This case study will focus on the training conducted by the TTRCS and consider the following:
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Did the training lead to better disaster preparedness in the participants?
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Are participants a member of a CERT or in what ways do participants feel comfortable in helping their communities in times of disasters?
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Understand how national societies can better engage with persons with disabilities.
Countries Targeted:
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Trinidad and Tobago
Volunteering in a Multi-hazard Environment
Research Question:
How to sustain volunteer motivation in a multi-hazard environment?
Research Rationale
St Vincent and the Grenadines is prone to a wide range of natural hazards which include hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, droughts and landslides. In 2021, the National Society and their volunteers were asked to bolster the national disaster management system before and after the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. Staff and volunteers were placed on the frontline again after the passing of Hurricane Lisa in 2022. Both these responses were needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to understand how national societies can provide national assistance while also ensuring the welfare of their volunteers in a multi-hazard environment.
This research paper will also take a deeper look at the following:
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Understanding the perceptions of volunteer safety and how these perceptions can be addressed in a multi-hazard environment.
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Understanding the challenges faced by volunteers.
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Understanding the actions needed to mitigate the level of burn-out among volunteers in a multi-hazard environment.
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Make recommendations on how to sustain volunteer well-being and motivation in a multi-hazard environment.
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How can CDRT mobilization improve?
Countries Targeted:
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St Vincent and the Grenadines
Co-authored by: St Vincent & the Grenadines Red Cross
Preparedness for Effective Response Implementation in the Caribbean
Research Question:
How has the PER approach been used to enhance response activities within the Caribbean?
Research Rationale
The goal of the Preparedness for Effective Response (PER) approach is to strengthen the local preparedness capacity of a National Society and its ability to effectively respond in times of a crisis or disaster. The approach consists of highly skilled facilitators guiding National Societies through five phases. These include Orientation; Assessment; Prioritization and Analysis; Workplan; and Action and Accountability. Various countries within the Caribbean have started the PER approach but are at different phases.
The major aims of the case study are to:
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Identify the phases which each country that started the process is at and
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Better understand some of the challenges faced, which may have resulting in the process being halted in some countries.
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Recommend ways to overcome these challenges.
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Highlight the successes or ways in which other countries have benefited from using the approach.
Countries Targeted:
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Bahamas
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Barbados
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Belize
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Dominica
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Jamaica
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St. Kitts and Nevis
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St. Vincent and the Grenadines
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Trinidad and Tobago
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