Impact's role as network organisation

Objective
Impact actively maintains relevant networks in disaster relief. Existing networks are used which Impact unlocks and extends. Impact is able to do this because it has an overview of the multidisciplinary field covering various policy areas. To support high quality and fast development of the relevant knowledge, Impact also participates in the European and International network.

Impacts role

• Making an inventory of experts from the various networks.
• Deploying and maintaining a national expertise database.
• Organising network events in which the latest developments from the academic field and the experiences from (international) practice are discussed.
• Gathering experts from the various networks and disciplines to link them and create added value.
• Organising in-company workshops for expert training.
• Providing support structures for the various networks.

Dutch Networks

• Spiritual carers (all denominations)
• Network of mayors
• Coordinators for government processes Safety regions
• Council of RGF and GHOR regions
• Network of civil servants Public Safety and Security
• OPRON
• Network of Military Health Care
• Network of key persons and organisation representing large ethnic groups in the Netherlands.

European and international network
A main objective of Impact is bringing together the various European networks which are each active in their own sub-area. For example civil protection, the psychosocial network of the international Red Cross, Public Health, the network of European Psychologists and the academic network such as the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Encircling this are the worldwide networks of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS), World Association for Disaster Medicine (WADEM), the World Health Organisation and the United Nations.

Impact participates in these networks and communicates with them via a Websie and an international newsletter. The European and international networks ensure a fast development of knowledge available to the field in the Netherlands.

Products

Maintaining the expertise database by:
-- Keeping up-to-date the details of the experts
-- Identifying new experts
-- Adding experts from various areas such as social workers, victim support, Public administration consultants, communication experts etc.

Maintaining various networks next to the already mentioned ones:
-- Networks involved in Culture and Trauma
-- Network of Military GGZ
-- Network of Child Care experts etc.

Participation in congresses and symposia
Facilitating the national OPRON network and meetings
Facilitating the network for Agro relief
Facilitating the network of spiritual carers
Building and supporting the regional networks of spiritual carers
Participating in the European Network