Community-Based Protection in Action

Community-Based Protection Unit, Division of International Protection

OUTSIDE OF CAMPS
COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH

© UNHCR / A. Dragaj
 © UNHCR / C. Herwig
WHAT IS THE ISSUE?
The rights of refugees1 and UNHCR’s mandated responsibili- deliver protection to as many persons of concern as possible
ties towards them are not affected by their place of residence. (see, for example the Policy on refugee protection and solu-
Thus, non-camp settings are legitimate places for refugees to tions in urban areas and the Policy on alternative to camps.)
enjoy their rights, including those stemming from their status At the heart of this approach is mobilizing and building on
as refugees as well as those that they hold in common with the capacities of the refugee population, so as to preserve
all other human beings. Life outside of camps may present and promote their dignity, self-esteem, and productive and
refugees with additional opportunities, but it can also poses
creative potential.
new challenges. In situations where significant numbers of ref-
ugees reside outside camps, the perception can be created
among the host community that they are a strain on already
inadequate public services and natural resources. Refugees “Strong community outreach, communica-
who live outside of camps can face a range of protection risks, tion with refugee communities and good
some of which are exacerbated or more difficult to address in
information flow between UNHCR and
non-camp environments: the threat of arbitrary arrest and de-
tention, refoulement, harassment, exploitation, discrimination,
refugees living in urban areas are key
inadequate and overcrowded shelter, as well as vulnerability factors to facilitate appropriate protection,
to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Refugees are assistance and durable solutions for urban
often forced for reasons of poverty to live in peripheral or hard refugees and other persons of concern.”
to reach slum areas, which imply increased transportation
costs, security concerns, or limited mobility. UNHCR’s policy on refugee protection and
solutions in urban areas
UNHCR’s community-based approach to protection is an
essential tool/method to overcome these challenges and

1
This briefing note refers to refugees. However, it should be noted that the content provided herein could equally apply to internally displaced persons
and other persons of concern.
 WHAT IS A COMMUNITY - “SPECIALIZED” VOLUNTEERS
BASED OUTREACH When an outreach volunteer program was set up with
Iraqi refugees in Syria in 2007, the volunteers were all
PROGRAMME? “generalists”, working with the broader refugee communi-
ty without focusing on a specific group or technical area.
A community-based outreach programme, as a response to Since then, in a number of country operations, volunteers
with relevant skills and capacities have been supporting
the protection and assistance needs of refugees and IDPs
interventions in specific sectors or targeting particular
in urban contexts, seeks to build on the skills, capacities groups with specific needs, such as:
and knowledge of the wider community, including through
trusted and diverse members of their own community. These Education; paralegal support; child protection; psychoso-
outreach volunteer networks are structured and trained to cial support and mental health issues; health; sexual and
gender based violence (SGBV); persons with disabilities;
conduct their activities in accordance with UNHCR’s Age,
elderly; youth.
Gender and Diversity (AGD) Policy and human rights princi-
ples. Close partnership and direct two-way communication Examples of activities carried out by specialized volun-
between UNHCR and the communities, through the outreach teers include:
volunteers, empowers those involved in the programme to
• Identification of out-of-school children
play a central role as analysts, implementers and evaluators
of their own protection. Outreach volunteers assist their own • Homework support
people in their own language.
• Sensitization on vaccination campaigns

• Provision of life-skills training

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE • Follow-up care arrangements for unaccompanied
OUTREACH VOLUNTEERS: and separated children

• Psychological first aid

Although the responsibilities of outreach volunteers depend
on the local context, the following duties are common among
outreach volunteers:

© UNHCR / D. Nahr
• Identification of the most at risk refugees in need of urgent
assistance

• Referral of cases to UNHCR, partners or appropriate

national service providers

• Regular reporting and meetings with UNHCR or partners

• Basic individual counselling, through home visits or at

community venues, such as community centers

• Individual support to persons with specific needs who

require regular follow up at their homes (especially for
those with limited mobility)

• Community mobilization and awareness raising activities,

including promotion of host community involvement

• Participation in training and information-sharing sessions

with UNHCR and partners

In carrying out these duties, volunteers will be expected to

respect confidentiality and promote the rights of all members
of the community without discrimination.
WORKING WITH PERSONS OF CONCERN AS OUTREACH
VOLUNTEERS CAN BENEFIT ALL ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE
FOLLOWING WAYS:

OUTREACH OUTREACH WIDER

UNHCR
VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEERS COMMUNITY

•• Intimate knowledge of the • Pride, self-esteem & dignity • Accessible and timely
community information on programmes
• Empowerment and services available
•• Information on population
profile and protection con- • Incentives • Timely and culturally
cerns of communities (material + non-material) appropriate response/referral
•• Continuous presence in • Capacity building & career
of protection cases
communities development • Opportunity to feedback/
•• Reputation and legitimacy complaint

•• Cost efficiency • Community cohesion

•• Identification and • Peaceful coexistence with

engagement of most at-risk host community and access
groups & individuals to national services

BETTER PROTECTION OUTCOMES THROUGH PROGRAMMES THAT:

• Are informed by accurate and up-to-date information on protection concerns

• Identify and build on the capacities, knowledge and skills of communities

• Promote accountability towards persons of concern:

• By empowering communities, through the volunteers, to monitor the quality and

impact of programmes and provide feedback and suggestions

• By building mutual trust and transparency through efficient 2-way communication

and partnership
 HOW TO SET UP A COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH
PROGRAMME?

As an example, the UNHCR Operation in The different steps and elements to consider when setting
Syria identified the following steps to set up up an outreach volunteer programme will inevitably vary
an outreach volunteer programme, some of from one context to the other. There is no “one size fits all”
which will be explored in more detail in this approach and the decision to set up such a programme in the
document: first place should be taken in close consultation with persons of
concern and preferably be based on their recommendations and
1.    Situation analysis & needs assessment suggestions. The considerations below are mostly derived from
outreach programmes in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Kenya.
2.    Identification of persons of concern suitable as
outreach volunteers
3.    Conduct focus group and evaluation sessions PRE-SELECTION
4.    Selection process for volunteers &development
of Terms of Reference for outreach volunteers The selection of outreach volunteers can be carried out through
5.    Introductory and follow up training sessions the following ways:
6.     Link volunteers to either specific areas / thematic
• Identification of proactive community members during
fields according to strength
focus group discussions or outreach visits conducted by
7.    Support/coach and monitor outreach volunteers
UNHCR and partners
8.   Facilitate permanent two-way communication
flow between UNHCR and the outreach volunteers • Use of UNHCR registration tool, ProGres, to identify
9.  Inform the community about the role of the people with relevant educational background and
outreach volunteers experience
10. Promote a non-hierarchical and cooperative com-
• Coordinating with existing community-based organizations
munication structure among outreach volunteers
11.   Provide appropriate compensation or incentives • Asking persons of concern to put forward candidates that
12.  Ensure the safety of the outreach volunteers enjoy trust and legitimacy in the community

• Self-identification of candidates willing to provide support

to others in need
© UNHCR / H. Coussidis

The candidates identified should formally apply, providing

an overview of their personal, professional, and educational
background, as well as their interests.

Desirable criteria for volunteers could include: eagerness to

help, team-oriented mentality, acceptance by the community,
communication skills, willingness to engage in challenging
work, mediation skills.

It is worth noting that the volunteers should be able to read

and write. In some contexts, depending on the complexity
of the work, completion of secondary education may be a
pre-requisite. Candidates from different ages, genders and
diverse backgrounds should be considered.

“Select community counterparts with care”

Key lessons from Understanding Community-Based
Protection: Protection Policy Paper, UNHCR
RECRUITMENT CAPACITY BUILDING & SUPERVISION

Due to the highly sensitive and challenging nature of the Upon enrollment in the programme, outreach volunteers should
work of volunteers, candidates should go through a formal receive an orientation on the organization and initial training,
recruitment process, which includes at least one interview with tailored to the context. In Lebanon, for example, initial training
UNHCR and/or partners. In Kenya and Egypt, a refugee is covers the following:
present as an observer during interviews for candidates for
community volunteer work. • WHAT TO DO: What is expected of them as refugee
outreach volunteers and what are their responsibilities.
Successful candidates should sign a contract and UNHCR’s
Code of Conduct. They should have clear Terms of Reference, • HOW TO DO IT: What are the different ways to under-
and their files should be properly stored. take outreach, what to focus on and who to target.

WHAT STATUS? • WHAT NOT TO DO: Confidentiality and code of conduct.

In the case of Lebanon and Syria, outreach volunteers are not
UNHCR or partner staff. So, they are provided with an identi- • WHO TO CONTACT: Especially in case of an emergency.
fication badge to facilitate and legitimize their work.
Beyond initial training, it is essential that outreach volunteers
WHAT KIND OF INCENTIVE? are provided with ongoing coaching and learning opportu-
Whether or not outreach volunteers should receive incentives nities, through supportive supervision and regular learning/
for their work is important and should take into account the training sessions.
nature of the work, sustainability of the programme, local cost
of living and wages, existing practices within the community In Egypt, for example, refugees working as community
and among similar programmes. Incentives should not under- social workers participate in a half day learning session on
mine existing community practices performed on a volunteer a weekly basis. They also have a “buddy system” of peer
basis and should be harmonized for all volunteers working support and receive supportive supervision from team leaders
with different humanitarian actors. Commonly used incentives as well as psychiatrists and medical doctors affiliated with the
include cash payments, transportation and communication organization, to help them cope with the challenging work
costs or material support (i.e. mobile phones, bikes, office they carry out.
space, and clothing), but can also take other forms, such as:
In Lebanon, in addition to regular meetings and training
• Training opportunities between outreach volunteers and UNHCR and
• Certification partners, the volunteers are also supported by UNHCR and
• Honors, awards and prizes partner staff through joint home visits, followed by debriefings.
• Social events
• Public recognition In Kenya, community volunteer workers are trained as trainers
• Networking opportunities and are expected to train other community members.

In Lebanon, outreach volunteers receive support for The staff per volunteer ratio depends on the humanitarian
transportation and communication. They can also receive situation and financial realities in any given context, but
other forms of incentives listed above. They are expected to it is important to stress that community-based protection
work at least four hours per day, four days a week, and most programmes promoting meaningful community engagement
of them have other jobs. require significant human resources.

“Community work requires expertise

and training”
“Supportive supervision is essential”
Key lessons from Understanding Community-Based
Protection: Protection Policy Paper, UNHCR
COORDINATION

Although in many contexts outreach volunteers are affiliated supervised by partners, mechanisms need to be put in place
with and managed by UNHCR’s partners, it is important that to ensure regular interaction between UNHCR and the
UNHCR maintains direct contact with the outreach volunteers. volunteers, through social media, websites or other means of
They can be a crucial source of information for UNHCR on communication. But, while these are very helpful, they should
the situation of communities of concern and also for the com- not replace essential face-to-face interaction.
munities on UNHCR’s responsibilities and services, and what
the organization can and cannot do. In order to maintain our
accountability towards persons of concern and ensure protec-
”We bring the voices of the refugees.
tion delivery is effective and tailored to their needs, this direct
We live what they are living”
link should not be broken.
Refugee Outreach Volunteer in Tripoli, Lebanon

In instances where outreach volunteers are managed and

© UNHCR / D. Lorch

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Division of International Protection
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Case Postale 2500, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland