The Involvement of The Salvation Army in the Horizon 2020 BuildERS Project
by: Abriel SCHIEFFELERS
The ultimate proof of how effectively a society is capable to withstand and recover from a natural and/or man-made disaster is its ability to protect and care for its most vulnerable groups. Prior research on vulnerability and the degree of harm to those populations during natural disasters shows they suffer disproportionately. Whether it’s a natural disaster like an earthquake or flood, or a man-made disaster such as a terrorist attack or fire, it is ultimately vulnerable individuals and communities that are at a higher risk for experiencing long-term hardship. The BuildERS project aims to shine a light on this inequality and create practical solutions for building resilience amongst vulnerable communities.
The crucial role of the Salvation Army involves mapping the vulnerabilities and resilience of vulnerable communities throughout Europe. This will be accomplished through interviews with individuals who are involved in Salvation Army social programmes, for example: trafficked persons, the homeless, migrants, and Roma. The interviews will reveal the risk perceptions, risk awareness and preparedness, social capital, and the resilience characteristics of the most vulnerable groups as well as the institutional contexts for these characteristics.
Information gathered from these interviews will ultimately be used to advocate for policy changes that seek to protect the most vulnerable in Europe. Strengthening the resilience of the weakest groups will be beneficial for a better understanding of what societal resilience is and of how social capital is built in this respect. The rationale is that by taking into account and strengthening the weakest groups the overall resilience of society is enhanced.
The BuildERS project is a unique opportunity for the Salvation Army to collaborate, learn, and contribute to research that positively impacts service users. The EU Affairs office is currently working with the project partners to finalize the questionnaire, which will then be shared with participating Salvation Army national offices. For more information on the BuildERS project, you can visit https://www.vttresearch.com/media/news/new-horizon-2020-project-to-build-european-communities-resilience-and-social-capital or contact Abriel.Schieffelers@armeedusalut.be
Tags: Europe