Supporting Cross-Cultural Volunteers
1. Pre-departure Psychosocial Assessments
Katherine offers psychosocial assessments for christian organisations who send staff to work in cross-cultural settings in the developing world. These assessments are strategically preventative. Too many staff who apply for this work encounter significant stress, trauma and illness whilst overseas. It is possible to avoid some of this damage by assessing volunteers before they leave so that their strengths and weaknesses, and special needs can be considered carefully. Organisations and their volunteers can use this information to make decisions that ensure workers are going to thrive in their work and remain in their positions for their full term.
For comprehensive resources relating to confidentiality and predeparture assessment guidelines for organisations please click the links below:
For comprehensive resources relating to confidentiality and predeparture assessment guidelines for organisations please click the links below:
| guidelines_for_predeparture_psychosocial_assessments_kthompson2017.pdf |
| consent_privacy_policy_kthompson2017.pdf |
2. Resources
| buildinghealthy_supportsystems_ecomaps_kthompson2017.pdf |
| chronicstressandhomeostasis_kthompson2017.pdf |
| makingsenseofvaluesandidentity_livingbetween2worlds_kthompson2017.pdf |
| usingsocialstorieswiththirdculturekids_kthompson2017.pdf |
3. Training
Katherine offers training for organisations who work cross-culturally. Training options include:
- preparation for short-term teams and team debriefing on return
- working in teams and resolving conflict
- preventative mental illness strategies for volunteers
- other requested needs
4. Debriefing
Whether returning from short-term (2 to 4 weeks), or long-term (months to years) cross-cultural work it is important and necessary to have a time where someone can listen to the significant experiences encountered during this work. This can provide a safe and confidential place to unload any issues that might have come up, separate to the sending organisation. It can also bring to light issues that might require specific counselling.
5. Counselling
Cross-cultural workers experience excessive levels of stress which place them at increased risk of a number of problems. Many staff return early due to interpersonal conflict and organisational problems, or they are exposed to trauma, or develop anxiety and depression. On return to Australia staff can feel isolated because few understand what they have experienced. Counselling can assist these people to make sense of their experience, and address any problems that have arisen in a safe and confidential setting. Many individuals and families return and just 'manage' on their own. We can do better than this. They should be able to return to living a full life and redirect their rich experience back into their community in Australia.
6. Third Culture Kids
Many cross-cultural volunteers are individuals, but there are many families. Children who go overseas with their volunteer parents experience issues around their identity and belonging. Australia may be their parents' home, but not theirs. It is not uncommon for children to adjust to life in Australia, but struggle with identity issues towards late adolescence and into young adulthood. Counselling at this time is usually beneficial, and prevents and addresses the long term impact of these issues on their life.