Psychological first aid (PFA) is a psychosocial support activity. Psychosocial support refers to the actions that address both the emotional and social needs of individuals, with the aim to help people use their resources and to enhance resilience. PFA can be a stand-alone intervention in a crisis situation or a component in a psychosocial support programme that includes other activities. It can also be a component of other interventions, for example, PFA can be provided in child-friendly spaces or as part of caring for volunteers.
Psychological first aid is a method of helping people in distress, so they feel calm and supported to cope better with their challenges. It is a humane way of assisting someone to manage their situation and make informed decisions. The basis of PFA is caring about the person in distress. It involves paying attention to the person’s reactions, active listening and, if needed, practical assistance, such as problem solving or help to access basic needs.
Training objectives
This training will prepare humanitarian organization staff who work with local volunteers in their own communities, and work in both emergency and non-emergency settings to facilitate psychological first aid sessions to various target groups. The material used in the training will be the new PFA material developed by the IFRC PS Centre. The training will cover both basic knowledge on PFA and facilitation skills as well as training methodologies. The participants will be expected to facilitate selected training sessions themselves.
