From 9 to 16 September, a psychological first-aid training course was organized in french Guiana (Cayenne) for 15 employees and 24 volunteers of the French Red Cross. The volunteers and employees of the French Guyana Territorial Delegation, as well as the health prevention division and the Guadeloupe branch, were able to discover how to provide psychological first aid to those in psychological distress in an epidemic context
A first session aimed at raising awareness among volunteers during three days. The second three-day session was also intended for employees. Then a final day was specially designed for managers and team leaders to prevent psychosocial risks in their teams.
The objectives and program of this psychological first-aid training
This training aims to achieve several objectives:
- Make the link between epidemics, mental health and psychosocial well-being
- Understand why and to whom psychological first aid can be addressed
- Be able to provide psychological first aid to people who need it (observe, listen and connect)
- To know the limits of psychological first aid and how to manage one’s own stress during interventions as a caregiver
- To achieve these objectives, participants will discover different topics and techniques to support those affected:
- Learn the principles of active listening and supportive communication
- Identify the limits of psychological first aid and referral of cases with more specialized needs
- Know how to take care of oneself to better take care of others
- Identify what stress can be, what are the sources and resources to cope with to cope with it
- Psychological first aid in response to an epidemic or pandemic
Specific training for team leaders
A training session has been organized for managers in order to give them tools and methods adapted to prevent psychosocial risks in their teams and to provide them with psychological first aid if necessary. The training aims to learn how to identify sources of stress in emergency situations, promote “self-care” and identify measures that can be taken by managers to limit the risks of stress.
At the end of the training, a certificate of participation was given to the participants. This training was offered within the framework of the REMPART Epidemic project, financed and supported by the French Development Agency, the FEDER PCIA, the Emergency & Development Fund of BNP Paribas and the French Red Cross.
