Taking on an international humanitarian assignment can be incredibly enriching. Field workers have the chance to contribute in some tangible way to the causes they believe in, they encounter cultural differences that expand their worldviews, and everyday situations become adventures as they learn to navigate effectively in an unfamiliar environment.
However, moving is tough—especially when it means adjusting to new cultures and taking on a job that confronts issues related to suffering, need, and violence on a daily basis. Whether a novice or an experienced field worker, if you're headed to the field, you owe it to yourself, and to those you'll serve during your assignment, to prepare yourself as thoroughly as possible before actually getting on that plane.
Good preparation goes beyond getting all your necessary immunizations, making sure your visas are in order, and making an effort to understand something of the cultural context you will encounter before you arrive. It also means thinking about issues like your cross-cultural adaptation and stress management strengths, how you typically handle change and deal with ambiguity, the ideals and expectations you have about the assignment, and how and why to take time to bid a temporary farewell to loved ones at home.
While there's a lot you can only learn on the ground, there's also a lot you can do to lay the groundwork for that learning and ensure that your transition and assignment are relatively smooth and successful. The resources in this section provide some guidance on things to consider as you prepare to embark on your assignment.
Supported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and drawing on the Reuters news service, this website features introductory briefs on humanitarian crises classified both geographically and topically.
This British government website lists travelers' security advisories by country, as well as a wide variety of general information and advice for travelers.
This U.S. government website lists current travel advisories from the State Department. Other areas of the site include more general travel advice geared toward U.S. citizens going abroad, as well as Consular Information Sheets about each country in the world.
Travel Warningswebsite Canadian Government's Consular Affairs
The Consular Affairs arm of Canada's Foreign Affairs office issues travel warnings and offers advice on basic travel precautions. The site also features detailed Travel Reports on each country.
This UN-affiliated website provides continuous updates on security issues and emergencies. Use the map under "Countries and Emergencies" to browse, or click the tab for "Latest Updates". You can also use the search field to search specific criteria.
This site provides brief checklists for pre-deployment, with a special section on food, water, and medical information. It also links to other helpful websites including a site for female travelers, travel safety reports, and medical clinics.
This page from Idealist's International Volunteerism Resource Center provides an overview of seven life areas requiring pre-deployment preparation, from visas and money issues to health and safety.
"Preparing to go"website International Volunteer Program Association
This site provides an overview of the things to consider when volunteering abroad, from health and mental preparation to visas, insurance, vaccinations, and what to pack.
This is a comprehensive website, featuring active forums with many topics. There is some useful information on professional and academic humanitarian training programs, things to bring with you, and general tips for a good experience abroad. In particular, see the page called "Advice for first-time aid workers".
Extensive practical information from health and insurance to pre-assignment checklists to advice for the beginning aid worker. Roam around RedR's Resource Center for more practical information.
Get a head start in understanding what stressors you may face in the field. This workbook walks the reader through a course aimed at helping aid workers identify and understand stress.
A free multimedia online curriculum on various topics related to humanitarian work, resilience, stress, and trauma. Of particular interest to those preparing to deploy: "Understanding and coping with traumatic stress"
Research on the experience of going abroad for humanitarian work
Cross-cultural psychologists refer to temporary visitors to another country as cultural sojourners. This article explores exactly what that means, why psychologists would care, and what's involved in the "sojourner" cycle—from the time you are getting ready to leave, to the time you are getting ready to come home.
This 2004 article discusses risk factors that affect the way an international worker may react to trauma and survive it. Eleven specific areas of risk are explored.
This link leads to a number of info sheets about humanitarian psychology. Taken together, these documents can give you a broad outline of the types of stressors you may encounter in the field.
Chapter 1 of this guide is devoted to preparing for a field assignment, while chapter 4 discusses the causes and consequences of stress for field staff and lays out a strategy for reducing stress. The book's Resources section also contains scripts for relaxation exercises. The link above leads to an outline of the book and purchase options.
How does stress impact human functioning? What are the signs of burnout? What steps can be taken to reduce the effect of stress and strain? How does this research affect the practicalities of everyday humanitarian work? In this book, the answers to these questions are presented along with real stories, a series of checklists, stress indicators, and burnout monitors to track the well-being of all workers. The link above leads to purchase options.
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