StrengthVOL

Overview

Description

StrengthVOL’s main aim is to increase the deployment of volunteer response teams in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine. The project fosters better civil protection services in rural areas (including reduced response times) through a volunteer-based system which complements the efforts of national authorities.

Over the last decade, the Red Cross has implemented programmes and projects to establish volunteer teams and strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacities in the Southern Caucasus region (Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia) and Ukraine. Systematic integration of these volunteer response teams into governmental civil protection systems still needs to be improved, however.

A research report and accompanying set of guiding principles for the development of cooperation models and agreements between the national Red Cross and civil protection authorities will be compiled on the basis of existing recommendations and lessons learnt in each country. After relevant agreements have been signed, the models will be piloted and volunteer teams will be recruited and assigned to newly established fire and rescue stations in Armenia and Georgia, and security centres in Ukraine.

Building on the models and evaluation of these pilots, action plans to increase the deployment of volunteer teams will be devised. This can then be used as an example for similar volunteer teams.

Partner organisations