Resilience Building Handbook
Summary of the handbook
From the heart of Tanzania to the mountains of Ethiopia to the borders of Bangladesh and Nepal; VSO's resilience programming is rapidly increasing. Volunteers, staff and partners have all played such a key role in this and already there is a positive impact on the children and adults involved. This Resilience Building handbook captures examples of good practice from fifteen countries in both development and humanitarian contexts. It also highlights practical steps to demonstrate how straightforward it can be to reduce risks and vulnerabilities, and increase the coping mechanisms within communities. There are specific examples for health, education, livelihoods and protection along with some of the key international resilience approaches and frameworks. It is hoped this book will inspire and promote more avenues to enhance community resilience, and that individuals and communities become more knowledgeable, adaptable and confident in what to do when faced with shocks and stresses.
How to use the handbook
This handbook is organised in five sections, which are integrated into a single electronic document. It can be printed as a whole or in parts that can be hand-carried to a location where internet is inaccessible. The handbook is designed to give insights into how to operationalize resilience in your work. Section 2 to Section 5 of this handbook provide information on the background, principles, systems and standards of resilience and humanitarian action. As volunteers and staff work in very different countries and situations, the handbook covers resilience areas generally. We hope that through the ideas and examples you can apply them into your own context. We are actively integrating resilience in VSO programme areas through both development and humanitarian works. Section 6 provides practical guidance for working with communities, sectors and systems to promote resilience. Section 7 introduces VSO's organizational preparedness approach. A number of links and references have been included where you can find more material and information.
About VSO
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is the world's leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Originally founded in 1958, VSO brings people together to fight various forms of poverty by sharing skills, building capabilities, promoting international understanding and action to change lives to make the world a fairer place for all to live in.
For more information visit www.vsointernational.orghttp://www.vsointernational.org