Training for psychological first aid and psycho-social support

In the period from 03 to 06 October 2021, the Red Cross of the Republic of North Macedonia with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies organized training for staff and volunteers – psychologists, therapists, social workers, general practitioners and other medical personnel for providing first aid in emergency and humanitarian situations and in peacetime.

Community-based psychosocial support includes psychological first aid, support groups, establishing safe and child-friendly spaces, education on reactions and mechanisms for coping with loss and stress, raising community awareness, and caring for volunteers and staff in crisis situations and peacetime.

These trainings are part of the strategy of the Red Cross of RNM for facilitating and strengthening the natural resilience of people on an individual and collective level, and are an integral part of the model for psycho-social support that the Red Cross plans to establish at all levels and within the activities of the national society. In the past year, online trainings in the field of PFA and PSS were conducted, in order to support volunteers at the vaccination points.