HEALTH & WELLBEING
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Volunteers should be in good physical health, as most of the work on this program will involve repetitive manual labour, often in a very hot climate. Volunteers will be encouraged to take regular breaks for rest and rehydration. However, if you have any physical limitations you may want to consider the impact manual labour will have over several weeks.
Living communally may cause its own set of challenges. Remember that frequent hand washing and good hygiene is the first line of defense in staying healthy and productive, and more important than ever during the pandemic!
MENTAL HEALTH
Your mental health is an essential part of your wellbeing. Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health.
Working in a post-disaster environment and communal living situation is tiring and stressful. The work is full of its own rewards, but do not compromise your mental health or the safety and effectiveness of the work by ignoring your limits. To support the well-being of our hardworking global team, we provide access to mental health and emotional care services that are available to our volunteers and staff, 24/7.
WHY DO WE HAVE THESE RESOURCES?
We recognize that there are a variety of stressors that can affect your well-being while working and volunteering with All Hands and Hearts. Our aim is to provide you with the means to proactively care for yourself and access mental health support whenever you may need it.
THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU
I.F.O.C (International Fellowship Of Chaplains) Chaplains provide secular, practical community support to All Hands and Hearts personnel by meeting their needs, regardless of age, race, creed, color, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status or socioeconomic status. Trained and licensed Chaplains offer counsel, education, advocacy, and life improvement skills to support those serving disaster impacted communities.
ON CALL International The counselors you can access through On Call are mental or behavioral health professionals who are also trained in crisis management. Counselors are available 24 hours a day for immediate evaluation and crisis intervention. Following the first call, if short-term counseling is recommended, the counselor will refer you for additional telephone or video counseling sessions. Your plan includes 3 counseling sessions, not including the first call.
Check out the Wellbeing Resource Guide to learn how to access these services while on-program. You will see this information flyer posted around base, however we also recommend printing your own copy and keeping it with your other important personal documents.
Learn more about how to take care of your wellbeing on program by completing our wellbeing training.
You will also find more important training materials to work through before arriving on program.
