Communication with Communities in Disaster Emergency Response and Recovery: Volunteers Guideline

This guide from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) aims to enhance knowledge and capacity of volunteers regarding communication with communities (CwC) in implementing disaster emergency response and recovery activities. It emerges from Shongjog, a multi-stakeholder CwC platform formed in July 2015 among more than 30 disaster response stakeholders in Bangladesh. Led by the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Shongjog (meaning 'linkages' in Bangla) seeks to advocate for and coordinate activities around two-way communication and information sharing in humanitarian response and preparedness in Bangladesh.

According to the Chairperson of Shongjog, writing in the Preface, Bangladesh's success in disaster management can be attributed mainly to the "fellow-feelings, mutual cooperation and voluntary attitude of the people in general as well as volunteers of different tiers. It has been experienced that the members of the affected communities pioneer volunteerism through mutual collaboration....[T]he process of Communication with Communities - CwC - ensures the appropriate need assessment as well as effective response mechanism of the disaster stricken populations."

The practical manual is designed for the trained volunteers of government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other agencies. Its contents include:

• Chapter 1: Volunteerism in Disaster Management
• Chapter 2: CwC in Implementing Emergency Response and Recovery
• Chapter 3: Considerations and Stages of CwC
  • 3.1 - Need Assessment Stage
  • 3.2 - Planning Stage
  • 3.3 - Implementation Stage
  • 3.4 - Evaluation and Learning Stage
• Chapter 4: Community Involvement in Emergency Response of Rapid Onset Disaster
• Chapter 5: Complaint and Response Mechanism
• Chapter 6: Ensuring Volunteers' Safety in Implementing Emergency Response and Recovery Initiatives