Children’s Disaster Services trains and certifies volunteers for specialized child care after disasters. CDS volunteers work cooperatively with the American Red Cross, providing a safe environment and a comforting presence for children impacted by traumatic events.
ABOUT CHILDREN’S DISASTER SERVICES:
Children’s Disaster Services works to offer a safe and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos that follows disaster by setting up & operating special child care centers in disaster locations. Parents are then able to apply for assistance and begin to put their lives back together, knowing their children are safe. The information learned at this workshop can be beneficial to anyone working with children.
Since CDS was founded in 1980, over 3,136 volunteers have served in 236 disasters and worked with more than 88,326 children. Following hurricane Katrina, Children’s Disaster Services, served in 9 states at 19 sites caring for 4856 children with 173 volunteers.
ABOUT A CHILDREN’S DISASTER SERVICES VOLUNTEER WORKSHOP:
CDS provides specialized training for all of its volunteers. The CDS Volunteer Workshop is a comprehensive 27-hour workshop that uses applied, experiential activities to help the participants integrate their learning.
The workshop will train you to understand and respond to children who have experienced a disaster. Designed for people who have a heart and passion for children, the workshop helps you recognize and understand the fears and other emotions children experience during and following a disaster and how child-led play and various art mediums can start the healing process in children. Participants will experience a simulated shelter, sleeping on cots and eating simple meals. Once the training is completed, participants have the opportunity to become a certified Children’s Disaster Services volunteer by providing two personal references and a criminal & sexual offender background check.
The Workshop includes:
Types and phases of disaster
Children and their needs after a disaster
Responding to them in a healing manner
Using play to begin emotional recovery
CDS Centers
Setup and operation
Safety procedures
Self care on site and after returning home
A shelter simulation
CDS workshops are open to anyone over 18 years of age.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Clothing for sitting on the floor, camping gear (sleeping bag or blankets, pillow, air mattress, flashlight), and personal items (towel, washcloth, toiletries). A want to help others in need!
COST OF THE WORKSHOP:
$45 for early registration (postmarked 3 weeks prior to the workshop)
$55 for late registration (postmarked less than 3 weeks prior to the workshop)
$25 for retraining (I am a certified child care volunteer)
Meals and overnight accommodations are provided by the host organization.
Agenda
Friday Evening
Registration
Dinner and getting acquainted
Who We Are
Creating a Picture of Disaster
Evening break
Community Meeting
Evening Reflection
Saturday Morning
Breakfast
Morning Reflection
Children and Disaster
Mid Morning Break
Engaging with Children after Disaster
Saturday Afternoon
Lunch
Engaging...
Mid-Afternoon Break
Responding to the Call
Dinner
Saturday Evening
Wrap Up
Closing Reflection
Drive Home Carefully!
