Essential to the resilience of any community in the face of disaster, whether natural or man-made, is a state of preparedness that includes critical knowledge of resources and safety protocols. The Disaster Preparedness Outreach Specialist leads the community education arm of Sewa International’s Disaster Services, reaching out to both adults AND children; because, children who learn to be resilient in the face of emergencies become adults who ARE resilient in the face of emergencies.
During Blue-Sky periods, these Members fan out into the community (with a specific focus on the marginalized, the underserved, seniors, children and those with special needs) to educate the population on the importance of preparedness and community networking to increase resilience during a disaster. These efforts are intended to mitigate damages, save lives and enhance the recovery potential of any community impacted by disaster.
Service Activities
Provide workshops and presentations to help individuals design and implement disaster preparedness plans for their families, neighborhoods and communities, with a focus on readiness, resilience, and a reduction of risks associated with natural and man-made disasters;
Ongoing development and enhancement of a dynamic disaster preparedness workshop and plan for delivery to local organization and affiliates;
Research, identify, and disseminate disaster preparedness promising practices and internationally-accepted standards throughout the Greater Houston Metro area with a particular focus on the Southwest Houston community;
Develop and maintain strong external relationships with peer organizations, partners, government agencies, volunteers and donors;
Work in tandem with affiliate volunteers to enhance viability of temples to serve as shelters in the aftermath of disasters;
Provide surge capacity to affiliates post-disaster, as needed;
Community Need Addressed
RAND studies show a lack of agencies providing accessible and relevant Disaster Preparedness (DP) training to the public which impacts refugees and recent immigrants living at or below the poverty line who may not have the necessary tools, knowledge and language proficiency to access this information. According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, this linguistic/cultural isolation, along with an absence of necessary documents, put immigrants at greater risk before, during and after disasters.
Houston has suffered the greatest number of natural disasters in the last 20 years and there is a constant need for adequately trained Disaster Case Managers to assist vulnerable communities in recovering from disaster. There is also lack of shelters with adequately trained personnel and facilities to accommodate specific cultural/religious sensibilities while simultaneously serving the public in times of emergencies.
Position Outcomes
Beneficiaries of the program are predominantly recent immigrants/refugees that reside in Sewa-affiliate communities, and/or who have a connection to the temples/community centers where shelter programs have been established. Individuals who attend disaster preparedness trainings self-select to participate in the programs.
Essential to creating a resilient community with the knowledge, tools and skills to face any natural or human-made disaster is the availability of programs that help individuals to engage in networks that bolster their safety/survival, in addition to mitigating damages and enhancing recovery. This year Sewa AmeriCorps Disaster cohort expects to train at least double the number last year. While we fully expect 100% of the participants to report heightened confidence in their preparedness knowledge/skills, we understand the subjectivity of the self-evaluation and estimate 75% of community members to report increased preparedness.
Benefits
Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
In addition to robust position-related training at onboarding, Members also receive substantive professional and personal development training throughout the service year.
Education Benefits
College Degree
CERT
First Aid
DCM
CPR
Skills you will gain
Case management, community outreach, data collection, servant leadership, disaster preparedness
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment