Theory to Practicea reflection

Incident Management Training

• Setting Standards• Putting Standards in Context• What else is required for a large scale

incident• Can we prepare for that?• An example from Victim Support• Conclusion

To Assess or not to Assess?

Standards vs Training

• Setting Standards• Consultation• Industry Standards• Training Standards• Practitioners View

Training to match standards• Consistency and Context

• Theory vs Practice

What about the complete unknown?

“Respect what we are facing and accept that we cannot always dictate the circumstances” Ellis 2013

An example from Victim Support deployment:

Every year we help over 30,000 New Zealanders

affected by crime and trauma.

We’re all about people We’re all about people

Every year we help over 30,000 New Zealanders

affected by crime and trauma.

Service Delivery: The Facts

Grants• Over $2 million a year in grants to victims of serious crime

Support• Over 20,000 victims of serious crime supported each year

• Supported around 250 families mourning a loved one killed in car crash,

• 800 family members supported each year after a homicide

• 490 families supported as they deal with the suicide of a loved one

Everyday kiwis doing extraordinary thingsin your community.

1000 volunteersDelivered free24/7 throughout the country.

A Nationwide &

Grass Roots Organization

140 staff focused on: * Recruiting

* Training & * Managing volunteers

Governance: National Board elected by Local Group Committees

MOU with NZ Police

The phone call 12 March 2011

Leading two teams:Initial team of 5 Volunteer Support

Workers from Wellington

Monday 14th March 2011: 101 Family’s seen. (32 in morning, 69 in afternoon). Referred to (some referred to more than one service): WINZ 28 Red Cross 22 City Council 5 Water 2 Medical 4 General Info and Directions: 18 Toilets 0 Showers 0 EQC/Trade work 4 Counselling 3 Food 6 Stronger Canterbury 2 Childcare 0 Housing NZ 4 Community Law 3 Salvation Army 8

What was I prepared for?

• Working with traumatised people• Sticking to boundaries

• Debriefing teams• CIMS – CD in charge

Some of the things I wasn’t prepared for:

• Team Dynamics – changing over time• Not knowing how many volunteers were

needed• Memorial Day• Driving Skills• Lack of Hygiene

Incident Management Training workedGood basic training provided technical skills

There will always be unexpected things that can’t be prepared for, and they’ll regularly be different.

The single biggest thing that makes the difference is:

In Summary

People

• Leading people in volatile environments• Team dynamics• Pre-formed teams• Managing Gen-Y

Impact on Standards and Training

• Provide Context• Consider “people” in everything you do• Don’t overlook Leadership and Management skills

Questions

• Questions?