Resilience Program
The Resilience Program at the Fiji Red Cross Society is a comprehensive initiative designed to enhance the ability of communities in Fiji to withstand, adapt to, and recover from various challenges, particularly disasters. This program focuses on strengthening community preparedness, improving the capacity of the Fiji Red Cross Society to provide integrated disaster management and health services, and fostering partnerships for effective program implementation. Its ultimate goal is to build resilient communities that can effectively respond to and recover from disasters and other adverse events.
Our Mission
At the heart of our Resilience Program lies a crucial mission: to fortify the resilience of communities in Fiji against the impact of disasters. We achieve this through three key objectives:
- Strengthening Community Resilience and Preparedness: We work tirelessly to enhance the resilience and preparedness of the communities we serve, ensuring they are better equipped to face the challenges posed by disasters.
- Building the Capacity of the Fiji Red Cross Society: We focus on empowering the Fiji Red Cross Society itself to deliver integrated disaster management and health services effectively and efficiently.
- Fostering Effective Partnerships and Continuous Program Improvement: Our program thrives on effective partnerships and an unwavering commitment to ongoing learning and improvement.
Through these core principles, we are dedicated to creating a more resilient and disaster-ready Fiji.
*Volunteers taking the lead in community disaster drills.
Below, you’ll find some of the primary activities currently being carried out by the Fiji Red Cross Society (FRCS) to bolster resilient communities by strengthening branch capacity.
- Assessing and Strengthening Branch Operational Capacity at Fiji Red CrossAt the heart of humanitarian organizations like the Fiji Red Cross Society lies a commitment to serve communities effectively, especially during times of crisis. To ensure we are well-equipped to meet this commitment, we employ rigorous evaluation and improvement processes. One such process is the Branch Operational Capacity Assessment (BOCA).
- What is BOCA?The Branch Operational Capacity Assessment (BOCA) is a vital tool in our organizational toolbox. It’s a structured approach that allows us to assess the operational capacity of our branches throughout Fiji. By conducting these assessments regularly, we can identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement within each branch.Why is BOCA Important?
BOCA serves several crucial purposes:- Identifying Gaps: It helps us pinpoint areas where our branches may need additional support or resources.
- Strategic Planning: The assessment results inform our strategic planning, helping us allocate resources effectively to address the identified gaps.
- Quality Assurance: BOCA ensures that our branches adhere to the highest standards of service delivery and accountability.
- Continuous Improvement: It fosters a culture of continuous improvement within our organization, driving us to evolve and become more effective in serving our communities.
The BOCA Process
The BOCA process involves a comprehensive evaluation of various aspects of branch operations. This includes areas such as volunteer management, financial practices, communication, and disaster response preparedness. The assessments are carried out by dedicated teams of experts who work closely with branch leadership to gather data and insights.What Happens Next?
Once the assessments are complete, we don’t stop there. We use the findings as a roadmap for action. Branches and the national office collaborate to address any identified gaps. This might involve additional training, resource allocation, or strategic planning adjustments.Empowering Communities Through BOCA
Ultimately, BOCA is not just an internal assessment tool; it’s a means to empower the communities we serve. By ensuring our branches are operating at their best, we can provide more effective support during disasters, health crises, and other challenges.At the Fiji Red Cross Society, BOCA is a testament to our commitment to continual improvement and to the communities we serve. Through rigorous assessment and dedication to excellence, we strive to make a positive impact when it’s needed most
2. Community-Based Resilience Program (CBRP)
At the community level, our Community-Based Resilience Program (CBRP) is committed to bolstering communities’ resilience to disasters while ensuring they attain a minimum level of preparedness for both health-related and disaster situations. This preparedness encompasses various aspects of the Red Cross mandate, including vulnerability assessment, community-based health and first aid, gender protection, disaster risk reduction, and proactive response to early warnings. Additionally, youth engagement plays a pivotal role in this holistic approach.
Key Activities
Outlined below are some of the major activities encompassed within our Community-Based Resilience Program:
- Red Cross Volunteer Induction and Advocacy: This involves the dissemination of the seven fundamental principles, the code of conduct, child protection policy, and gender and inclusion awareness training.
- Basic First Aid (FA): Equipping community members with fundamental first aid skills.
- Community-Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA): A comprehensive program that integrates health and first aid practices into the community.
- Drinking Water Safety and Security Planning (DWSSP): Promoting safe drinking water practices and planning for water security.
- Climate-Sensitive Behavior and Epidemic Preparedness: Preparing communities for climate-related challenges and potential disease outbreaks. This includes epidemic control training for volunteers and community-based surveillance.
- Safe Shelter Design: Ensuring communities have access to safe shelter during disasters.
- Fundraising for Sustainable Operations: Developing strategies for sustainable fundraising to support ongoing operations.
- Youth Engagement Activities: Engaging and empowering young individuals in disaster preparedness and response efforts.
- Vulnerability Capacity Assessment: Evaluating the vulnerability and capacity of communities to better tailor our support.
- Branch Organizational Capacity Assessment: Assessing the organizational capacity of branches to enhance their effectiveness.
- Volunteer Recruitment Process: Establishing a structured process for recruiting volunteers.
- Community-Based Early Warning and Early Action System: Creating systems for early warning and prompt response.
- Preparedness for Effective Response: Ensuring communities are well-prepared to respond effectively to disasters and health-related emergencies.
Through these multifaceted activities, our Community-Based Resilience Program strives to empower communities and individuals, enhancing their capacity to face and overcome various challenges.