Report on resolution 5:
– Date: 22.07.2019
– Country: Slovenia
– Type of entity: State
– Did your Government take any action to improve the safety and security of humanitarian volunteers and minimize inherent risks?
Yes
In 2016, the Government adopted the Decision on the establishment of the Inter-ministerial working group for a basic legal instrument on the planning, training for and implementation of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster (No. 02401-11/2016/3 of 26 May 2016). The working group consists of appointed representatives of a number of line ministries, who have reviewed international instruments dealing with psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster and drafted a basic legal instrument on the planning, training for and implementation of psychosocial assistance following disasters in Slovenia.
The Inter-ministerial working group prepared a basic legal instrument, i. e. Guidelines for the planning, training for and implementation of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster. The Guidelines contain several sections dealing with their general purpose, planning of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster, warning system and activation, main tasks of psychosocial assistance providers during disasters, implementation of psychosocial assistance in particular post-disaster phases, definition of vulnerable groups and support to psychosocial assistance providers. The final part of the Guidelines deals with training for providers of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster, focusing on the organisational aspects of providing psychosocial assistance during major disasters, i. e. implementation of psychosocial assistance in particular post-disaster phases (first week, first month, one to three months following the event, after three months), identification of and assistance to vulnerable groups (children, older people, people with disabilities, single-parent families, immigrants, rescue workers and others) and aid to rescue workers and other psychosocial assistance providers, including NGO volunteers.
Basic principles of voluntary work and specific conditions for the work of volunteers are laid down in the Volunteering Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos. 10/11, 16/11 and 82/15), adopted by the National Assembly on 21 October 2015.
According to Article 16, paragraph 1 of the Act, organised voluntary work is carried out on the basis of an agreement between the volunteer and the volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme, which defines the rights and obligations of both parties and any other specific issues that need to be agreed upon for the specific voluntary work.
The content of such an agreement is stipulated in detail in Article 18. The essential elements of this agreement are defined in paragraph one:
– place and period of voluntary work, including the information on accommodation in case of work abroad, and how other conditions for carrying out the voluntary work are to be ensured;
– nature of voluntary work;
– prior training and mentoring;
– means of ensuring volunteer safety, if the work is to be carried out in circumstances in which the safety, life or health of the volunteer could be at risk;
– justified costs related to voluntary work and the reimbursement, as well as the termination procedures.
According to Article 25, the volunteer has the right to:
– receive information about the organisation, the nature and conditions of voluntary work, and about the rights and obligations under the Act or under the general rules of the volunteer organisation;
– receive a certificate attesting the completion of voluntary work;
– receive information about the code of conduct of the organisation and other ethical codes relevant to different forms of voluntary work;
– receive adequate training for voluntary work and other types of relevant training;
– obtain a mentor who provides professional assistance and support during voluntary work;
– safety during training and voluntary work, if the training or voluntary work is carried out in circumstances in which the safety, life or health of the volunteer could be at risk;
– participate in decision making regarding issues affecting voluntary work;
– refuse work which the volunteer deems morally unacceptable or contrary to the provisions of this or any other act;
– receive reimbursement for any justified costs incurred during voluntary work;
– file a claim for fulfilling the obligations or report on violation of rights to the managing body of the volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme or to a body responsible for personal data protection.
The volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme must provide the volunteer with accident insurance for the period of voluntary work, if this is carried out in circumstances which put the health or life of the volunteer at risk or if this is agreed upon in the agreement on the voluntary work (Article 29, paragraph 2).
According to the Article 32, paragraph 2, the volunteer training comprises:
– theoretical and practical information about the nature of voluntary work and implementation method;
– getting acquainted with the volunteer organisation or the organisation with a volunteer programme, its operations, general rules and the code of conduct of the organisation, as well as information about their rights and duties related to voluntary work.
Detailed provisions on mentorship are provided in Article 33. Paragraph one stipulates that the volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme ensures mentorship, if this is required due to the nature of voluntary work or if the volunteer expresses the need to have a mentor, and provides for the training of voluntary work mentors.
Mentoring comprises the organisation of voluntary work and support to the volunteer in conducting voluntary work mindful of the quality of work. Mentoring can also be carried out on a voluntary basis (Article 33, paragraph 2).
– What measures have your public authorities undertaken to provide direct or indirect support for the insurance or equivalent “safety net” assistance for volunteers of National Societies and other actors deploying humanitarian volunteers within their territories?
PRACTICAL MEASURES
The Slovenian Red Cross organises regular training sessions at its 56 regional offices and once a year at the national level, organised by the headquarters of the Slovenian Red Cross, during which the volunteers learn about:
· the principles of the ICRC and humanitarian values. An interview is also held with volunteers regarding their motivation to become volunteers under the Slovenian Red Cross.
· safety regulations;
· the volunteer code of conduct;
· the fundamental legal acts/regulations of the Slovenian Red Cross, in particular the Act on Slovenian Red Cross and the Statutes of the Slovenian Red Cross;
· the correct use of the Red Cross symbol;
· the possibility of obtaining psychological support provided by the Slovenian Red Cross and its internal resources (qualified experts and regional secretaries) or by engaging external experts, especially with larger groups of volunteers or higher complexity of the issues requiring assistance;
· the procedures for internal and external communication, in particular the emphasis on the facilitation role and on acting in accordance with the basic principles of the Red Cross.
The Slovenian Red Cross prepared and carried out special training, including on safety and security of volunteers involved in the response to the migration crisis in Slovenia, for whom special safety rules applied. The Slovenian Red Cross also provided all necessary protective equipment and encouraged volunteers to take the recommended vaccination provided free of charge by the state authorities.
In January 2018, the Slovenian Red Cross began implementing the ESIRAS Slovenia project – Employability and Social Integration of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. The project aims to support asylum seekers and persons enjoying international protection in order to enhance their chances of employment and ease their social integration. It was developed in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, and is co-financed through the EU-Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). Within the scope of the project, forty volunteers have been trained to provide psycho-social assistance.
The project is being implemented by national Red Cross societies in seven EU Member States – Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy and Slovenia, with the Spanish Red Cross acting as the main coordinator. The duration of the project is from 01/01/2018 to 31/08/2019.
Project participants and project team members work together to find the best solutions and join in various activities. They also have access to other Slovenian Red Cross services, such as the family reunification service.
The purpose of the project is to help European local communities which have to deal with an increased number of asylum seekers and persons with refugee status. The head office of the ESIRAS Slovenia project is located in Ljubljana and in June 2018 a branch was opened in Maribor. The project team provides assistance to eligible beneficiaries in the rest of the country through a mobile unit in cooperation with Slovenian Red Cross regional offices.
The Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, a constituent body of the Ministry of Defence, undertakes international rescue operations on request of the affected country. The National Unit of the Civil Protection Service for Rapid Rescue Interventions provides the unified capacity platform for international rescue operations, and the decision on deployment is taken by the Government in accordance with the Protection against Natural and other Disasters Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia Nos. 51/06 – official consolidated text, 97/10 and 21/18).
In the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM), Slovenia has established a certified Medium Urban Search and Rescue, a Cave Search and Rescue (Cave SAR) and a High Capacity Pumping Unit – HCP (2019). In addition to the teams listed above, Slovenia can provide material aid or expert assistance to the affected country. In 2019, Slovenia deployed an expert for assessing the situation and coordinating international aid within the EUCPM to the flooded areas of Mozambique. Psychological assistance to search and rescue operatives is provided within the system of psycho-social assistance in the aftermath of disasters and other crisis events established and managed by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief.
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– Country: Slovenia
– Type of entity: State
– Did your Government take any action to improve the safety and security of humanitarian volunteers and minimize inherent risks?
Yes
In 2016, the Government adopted the Decision on the establishment of the Inter-ministerial working group for a basic legal instrument on the planning, training for and implementation of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster (No. 02401-11/2016/3 of 26 May 2016). The working group consists of appointed representatives of a number of line ministries, who have reviewed international instruments dealing with psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster and drafted a basic legal instrument on the planning, training for and implementation of psychosocial assistance following disasters in Slovenia.
The Inter-ministerial working group prepared a basic legal instrument, i. e. Guidelines for the planning, training for and implementation of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster. The Guidelines contain several sections dealing with their general purpose, planning of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster, warning system and activation, main tasks of psychosocial assistance providers during disasters, implementation of psychosocial assistance in particular post-disaster phases, definition of vulnerable groups and support to psychosocial assistance providers. The final part of the Guidelines deals with training for providers of psychosocial assistance in the event of disaster, focusing on the organisational aspects of providing psychosocial assistance during major disasters, i. e. implementation of psychosocial assistance in particular post-disaster phases (first week, first month, one to three months following the event, after three months), identification of and assistance to vulnerable groups (children, older people, people with disabilities, single-parent families, immigrants, rescue workers and others) and aid to rescue workers and other psychosocial assistance providers, including NGO volunteers.
Basic principles of voluntary work and specific conditions for the work of volunteers are laid down in the Volunteering Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos. 10/11, 16/11 and 82/15), adopted by the National Assembly on 21 October 2015.
According to Article 16, paragraph 1 of the Act, organised voluntary work is carried out on the basis of an agreement between the volunteer and the volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme, which defines the rights and obligations of both parties and any other specific issues that need to be agreed upon for the specific voluntary work.
The content of such an agreement is stipulated in detail in Article 18. The essential elements of this agreement are defined in paragraph one:
– place and period of voluntary work, including the information on accommodation in case of work abroad, and how other conditions for carrying out the voluntary work are to be ensured;
– nature of voluntary work;
– prior training and mentoring;
– means of ensuring volunteer safety, if the work is to be carried out in circumstances in which the safety, life or health of the volunteer could be at risk;
– justified costs related to voluntary work and the reimbursement, as well as the termination procedures.
According to Article 25, the volunteer has the right to:
– receive information about the organisation, the nature and conditions of voluntary work, and about the rights and obligations under the Act or under the general rules of the volunteer organisation;
– receive a certificate attesting the completion of voluntary work;
– receive information about the code of conduct of the organisation and other ethical codes relevant to different forms of voluntary work;
– receive adequate training for voluntary work and other types of relevant training;
– obtain a mentor who provides professional assistance and support during voluntary work;
– safety during training and voluntary work, if the training or voluntary work is carried out in circumstances in which the safety, life or health of the volunteer could be at risk;
– participate in decision making regarding issues affecting voluntary work;
– refuse work which the volunteer deems morally unacceptable or contrary to the provisions of this or any other act;
– receive reimbursement for any justified costs incurred during voluntary work;
– file a claim for fulfilling the obligations or report on violation of rights to the managing body of the volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme or to a body responsible for personal data protection.
The volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme must provide the volunteer with accident insurance for the period of voluntary work, if this is carried out in circumstances which put the health or life of the volunteer at risk or if this is agreed upon in the agreement on the voluntary work (Article 29, paragraph 2).
According to the Article 32, paragraph 2, the volunteer training comprises:
– theoretical and practical information about the nature of voluntary work and implementation method;
– getting acquainted with the volunteer organisation or the organisation with a volunteer programme, its operations, general rules and the code of conduct of the organisation, as well as information about their rights and duties related to voluntary work.
Detailed provisions on mentorship are provided in Article 33. Paragraph one stipulates that the volunteer organisation or organisation with a volunteer programme ensures mentorship, if this is required due to the nature of voluntary work or if the volunteer expresses the need to have a mentor, and provides for the training of voluntary work mentors.
Mentoring comprises the organisation of voluntary work and support to the volunteer in conducting voluntary work mindful of the quality of work. Mentoring can also be carried out on a voluntary basis (Article 33, paragraph 2).
– What measures have your public authorities undertaken to provide direct or indirect support for the insurance or equivalent “safety net” assistance for volunteers of National Societies and other actors deploying humanitarian volunteers within their territories?
PRACTICAL MEASURES
The Slovenian Red Cross organises regular training sessions at its 56 regional offices and once a year at the national level, organised by the headquarters of the Slovenian Red Cross, during which the volunteers learn about:
· the principles of the ICRC and humanitarian values. An interview is also held with volunteers regarding their motivation to become volunteers under the Slovenian Red Cross.
· safety regulations;
· the volunteer code of conduct;
· the fundamental legal acts/regulations of the Slovenian Red Cross, in particular the Act on Slovenian Red Cross and the Statutes of the Slovenian Red Cross;
· the correct use of the Red Cross symbol;
· the possibility of obtaining psychological support provided by the Slovenian Red Cross and its internal resources (qualified experts and regional secretaries) or by engaging external experts, especially with larger groups of volunteers or higher complexity of the issues requiring assistance;
· the procedures for internal and external communication, in particular the emphasis on the facilitation role and on acting in accordance with the basic principles of the Red Cross.
The Slovenian Red Cross prepared and carried out special training, including on safety and security of volunteers involved in the response to the migration crisis in Slovenia, for whom special safety rules applied. The Slovenian Red Cross also provided all necessary protective equipment and encouraged volunteers to take the recommended vaccination provided free of charge by the state authorities.
In January 2018, the Slovenian Red Cross began implementing the ESIRAS Slovenia project – Employability and Social Integration of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. The project aims to support asylum seekers and persons enjoying international protection in order to enhance their chances of employment and ease their social integration. It was developed in cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, and is co-financed through the EU-Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). Within the scope of the project, forty volunteers have been trained to provide psycho-social assistance.
The project is being implemented by national Red Cross societies in seven EU Member States – Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy and Slovenia, with the Spanish Red Cross acting as the main coordinator. The duration of the project is from 01/01/2018 to 31/08/2019.
Project participants and project team members work together to find the best solutions and join in various activities. They also have access to other Slovenian Red Cross services, such as the family reunification service.
The purpose of the project is to help European local communities which have to deal with an increased number of asylum seekers and persons with refugee status. The head office of the ESIRAS Slovenia project is located in Ljubljana and in June 2018 a branch was opened in Maribor. The project team provides assistance to eligible beneficiaries in the rest of the country through a mobile unit in cooperation with Slovenian Red Cross regional offices.
The Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, a constituent body of the Ministry of Defence, undertakes international rescue operations on request of the affected country. The National Unit of the Civil Protection Service for Rapid Rescue Interventions provides the unified capacity platform for international rescue operations, and the decision on deployment is taken by the Government in accordance with the Protection against Natural and other Disasters Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia Nos. 51/06 – official consolidated text, 97/10 and 21/18).
In the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM), Slovenia has established a certified Medium Urban Search and Rescue, a Cave Search and Rescue (Cave SAR) and a High Capacity Pumping Unit – HCP (2019). In addition to the teams listed above, Slovenia can provide material aid or expert assistance to the affected country. In 2019, Slovenia deployed an expert for assessing the situation and coordinating international aid within the EUCPM to the flooded areas of Mozambique. Psychological assistance to search and rescue operatives is provided within the system of psycho-social assistance in the aftermath of disasters and other crisis events established and managed by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief.
Download the report
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