The Movement Hub PS Centre offers many trainings in two formats: a basic training and a training of trainers, which builds on the basic training.
In the basic training, participants learn the core curriculum, equipping them to carry out the activities and interventions specific to the training. The training of trainers module then teaches participants how to deliver the basic training themselves, enabling a trickle-down effect to spread knowledge further.
Below, you can read about the different trainings provided by the MHPSS Hub, along with their respective curricula. Click on a specific training to scroll to its description.
This half-day training module introduces participants to basic skills in psychological first aid (PFA). It is suitable for all Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers working in any sector.
It aims to enable participants to:
This training module is one of four on psychological first aid, which accompany a set of materials on PFA. These include an introductory booklet called A Guide to Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and a small booklet, A Short Introduction to Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
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This training introduces participants to basic psychological first aid (PFA). The activities take between eight to nine hours and can be run in one long day OR over one-and-a-half days. It includes managing complex situations and reactions and guides helpers in selfcare. It is suitable for all psychosocial staff and volunteers and others providing direct care and support to people in distress.
It aims to enable participants to:
This training module is one of four on psychological first aid, which accompany a set of materials on PFA. These include an introductory book called A Guide to Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and a small booklet, A Short Introduction to Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
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This training introduces participants to psychological first aid for children. The activities take between eight to nine hours. It can be run over in one long day or one-and-a-half days. The training has been developed for staff and volunteers working with psychosocial support for children and those providing direct care and support to children
and their caregivers in distress, such as nurses, teachers, social workers, health volunteers or ambulance workers.
It aims to enable participants to:
This training module is one of four on psychological first aid, which accompany a set of materials on PFA. These include an introductory book called A Guide to Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and a small booklet, A Short introduction to Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
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This three-day training introduces participants to ‘PFA in Groups – Support to teams.’ It has been developed for trained psychosocial staff or volunteers, team leaders, managers or others with responsibility for the well-being of teams of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies staff or volunteers.
The training enables participants to:
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Circumstances surrounding conflict, crisis or disaster can cause families to become separated from their loved ones. Experience has shown that beneficiaries who approach the Red Cross Red Crescent looking for family members are often in need of psychosocial support.
This training is designed to support staff and volunteers in a wide range of settings where they may be in contact with families who have been separated from their loved ones. During the training participants will be introduced to the causes and consequences of being separated from family members and how separation may impact psychosocial well-being.
Additionally, the training provides participants with an understanding of how to support people who have been separated and at the same time take care of themselves
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This training provides a thorough introduction to the “Caring for Volunteers, a Psychosocial Support Toolkit,” which will help National Societies not only prepare volunteers but also support them during and after disasters, conflicts and other dramatic events. During this training the participants will get an understanding of psychosocial support and what the risks, resilience and protective factors for volunteers’ psychosocial well-being are. Further, participants will familiarize themselves with practical tools for self-care, peer support and Psychological First Aid, In addition, they will gain an understanding of how to set up psychosocial support systems for volunteers as well as monitor and evaluate volunteers’ efforts.
The training of trainers prepares participants to facilitate “Caring for Volunteers” workshops built on the “Caring for Volunteers, a Psychosocial Support Toolkit”. Simultaneously it gives participants deeper insight into the content of the “Caring for Volunteers, a Psychosocial Support Toolkit” as the participants will have to facilitate parts from tool kit: understanding of psychosocial support; risks, resilience and protective factors for volunteers’ psychosocial well-being; self-care; peer support; Psychological First Aid; setting up psychosocial support systems for volunteers; monitoring and evaluating volunteers’ efforts. Additionally, the training includes a short module on didactic and pedagogical teaching methods (organising a training workshop; creating a safe and inclusive learning environment; what makes a good facilitator; different learning styles; facilitation techniques)
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Young men are subject to increased vulnerabilities during disaster or conflict. When exposed to violence, poverty, unemployment or migration, young men may be further challeged. This often leads to negative behaviour and perceptions, depression and even addiction or trauma, making positive life choices more difficult, at a critical time of transition between childhood and adulthood.
This training enhances the participants understanding of providing psychosocial support through a peer-to-peer approach and provides guidance on planning and implementing psychosocial activities led by the young men themselves. Participants will be introduced to the following themes; psychosocial support; coping and assisting; youth as active members of the community
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Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a great challenge. It takes various forms, and acts of SGBV are widespread during and in the aftermath of armed conflicts and disasters. SGBV have serious impacts on individuals, their families and society as a whole. Violence in intimate relationships is a common type of SGBV, with assaults, threats, neglect and rape occurring within homes and other places where people should be safe. Trafficking, early marriages and forced prostitution are also forms of SGBV. SGBV leaves deep wounds on survivors, families and communities, as well as on secondary survivors. It is a widespread problem with serious emotional and social consequences, delaying recovery and leading to long-term distress, health complications, disability or even death.
In the course of their work, Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers are often confronted with SGBV. Helpers may even be the first ones to hear a survivor’s story. However staff and volunteers often feel anxious about the appropriate way to handle these disclosures.
To support Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers in their encounters with survivors of SGBV, this training provides staff and volunteers with the skills and confidence to better respond to the needs of people affected by SGBV.
The training guide is available online in English.
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The Community-based psychosocial support training kit gives participants skills and knowledge to provide basic psychosocial support after disasters.
Through a participatory approach, this training familiarises participants with the following subjects: crisis events and their impact, stress and coping, loss and grief, conducting activities in communities, psychological first aid and supporting staff and volunteers.
The training can be supplemented with additional training in specific subjects or adapted to suit a specific local context.
The training is available as a basic training and as a training of trainers.
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This training introduces the participants to the comprehensive Children’s Resilience Programme, that can be conducted in and out of schools. The programme has four major tracks with 20 sessions in each track: Protection against abuse and exploitation, children affected by armed conflict, children affected by disaster and children affected by HIV. Sessions and tracks can be used as it suits the context.
The programme takes into account that children’s wellbeing is influenced by their interaction with their caregivers, teachers, peers and others in their community. How chidren cope in very difficult circumstances depend on a wide range of factors that the programme and training looks at. Participants learn to conduct sessions and run activities in different settings.
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Social and humanitarian organizations provide support to people affected by crisis, as suffering from loss or serious illness, displacement, being stigmatized or otherwise living in isolation. Lay counselling can be effective if volunteers are properly trained.
This training aims to give participants an understanding of what lay counselling is and the attitude and skills required. It sets out the role and responsibilities of lay counsellors and the organization within which they work and equip them with knowledge and when to refer to specialized services. By the end of the training, participants will have developed a range of listening and responding skills and have insight into their own values and prejudices.
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The PSSie trainings can be used both as trainings for Emergency Response Unit psychosocial support delegates and other delegates working with emergencies outside the ERU system – for example National Society psychosocial support staff and volunteers, and others who involved in emergency response. The psychosocial support component of the emergency support unit covers all the psychosocial support activities, including the kits and materials, training of volunteers, community outreach and awareness-raising undertaken by the psychosocial support delegate. The ERU training curriculum comprises of trainings for delegates, refresher trainings and trainings for volunteers.
In times of emergency the psychosocial (PS) delegate is responsible for planning and supporting basic PS activities as part of the work of the ERU, together with the Operating National Society and/or local health authorities. Based on practical exercises and role playing mixed with presentations, this training prepares the PSS ERU delegate for work in the field by providing knowledge on how to identify, train and supervise volunteers.
Additionally, the training introduces the delegate to fieldwork by focusing on how to:
Further, by the end of this training, participants will be able to work according to the standard operational procedures and meet criteria as stated in the IASC Guidelines when setting up the PS component in the vicinity of the ERU.
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Through practical exercises, prior knowledge of the “Psychosocial Support in Emergencies” training will be refreshed. Participants will also be introduced to the latest news and lessons learned from the PS ERU component.
The Psychosocial support for youth in post-conflict situations – basic training aims to provide a basic introduction to psychosocial support and facilitation techniques. The basic training will enable participants to:
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The training of trainers (ToT) in psychosocial support for youth in post-conflict situations provides participants with an understanding of basic concepts, terminology and skills required to train other people (usually volunteers who work in the field) in psychosocial support. The ToT also empowers participants to deal with sensitive issues and provide reassurance, as well as emotional support. The trainer of a ToT workshop should preferably have a background in health, mental health, social welfare, education or conflict studies, or have a good understanding of social work, psychology and youth in post-conflict situations. Additionally, good communication skills and knowledge of facilitating trainings for adults are essential.
The ToT workshop in psychosocial support for youth in post-conflict situations will enable participants to:
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Stay connected with psychosocial support and the latest news and events
The Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement MHPSS Hub (MHPSS Hub) is dedicated to advancing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) throughout the RCRC Movement. Hosted by the Danish Red Cross, the Hub collaborates with National Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), as well as international humanitarian organizations and academic institutions. By uniting expertise from across the Movement and beyond, we help build stronger, more resilient communities better equipped to cope with crises and recover from adversity.