Page 162 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 14

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Resilience, the ability to engage with and grow through life’s challenges and adversities, is necessary
to maintain one’s health and effectiveness while working in crisis situations. Eriksson et al. researched
stress, trauma, and burnout for World Vision field staff from over 30 countries. Their findings
emphasize the need for resilience:

“Staff need to have ‘healthy personal resilience‘ in order to survive and in order to continue con-
tributing to the critical work of their organizations... for each of the mental health risk adjustment
measures (depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and burnout) 30-50% of staff scored in the mo-
derate to high-risk range. This is a significant number of people who are working and ‹surviving›
while experiencing considerable emotional distress. These staff may not be incapacitated by these
symptoms presently, but we cannot deny the effects that depression, burnout, and PTSD can have on
relationships, work, and personal health. An NGO›s commitment to people includes the welfare of
beneficiaries around the world, but it also includes the well-being of staff who commit their lives to
serving and saving others.” (p.95)

Fortunately, resilience can be developed. It is based on and supported by five key areas: personal cha-
racter strengths; personal core beliefs/values including a sense of purpose/meaning and faith/God;

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