Member Care Associates, Inc. We provide and develop supportive resources for workers and sending groups within the mission/humanitarian sectors. MCAresources@gmail.com

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Staying current! CORE Member Care: Check out the variety of ”reflections, research, and resources” on our weblog. It includes 200+ entries posted over the last six years. The current weblog entries provide a diversity or brief quotes related to living in truth.

Staying current! MCA Resource Updates: May 2013 issue provides perspectives on being Faith-Based in mission, humanitarian, and development work;  April 2013 issue explores the  type of world people want (including future directions for member care); March 2013 issue is on ordinary heroes; (everyday people who do heroic things–often unseen); February 2013 issue is on flourishing (happiness/well-being); January 2013 issue links to many cool tools for ourselves and others; December issue has material on finances, support raising, and rewards;  November issue features three items on “doing good” including the book Forces for Good (2012 rev.);  October issue highlights resources for coaching; September issue  looks at expanding the influence of member care through “mental health as mission” (mhM); August issue is on Serving Humanity (going macro with member care); July issue includes resources for developing “member character.” [note that the Updates are archived on this site in the Resource Updates section, starting with the first one from May 2009]

Global Integration: Charting Your Course in the Service of Humanity.This was a three-hour workshop by Kelly O’Donnell at the annual conference of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies International (Portland, Oregon, USA, 6 April 2013). Click on the link above for the overivew and some of the handouts.

The Human Development Report 2013–The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World. This is the annual report from the UN Development Program. The Overview section is easy to review, especially in light of  busy schedules!

New Action Plan Could be a Turning Point in GMH (GlobalPost, 28 Janaury 2013). Plus two short videos: Hidden Pictures: The Underexposed World of GMH (trailer for a film on the human faces/realities of GMH–coming winter 2013)  and Like a Death Sentence (Human Rights Watch, on the negative aspects of HR and MH in Ghana–simple report and full version plus brief video, 2 October 2012). Note: For more GMH updates and info see the GMH-Map section on this website.

The State of HR [Human Resources] in International Humanitarian and Development Organisations 2013, People In Aid

Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery, A Companion Guide for Field and Clinical Care of Traumatized People Worldwide (Richard Mollica, 2010)

 Inter-Agency Guide to the Evaluation of Psychosocial Programmes in Humanitarian Crises (UNICEF et al., 2012)

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Hard Core Realities (Resource Update for Good Practice). What is daily life really like for mission/aid workers? How do they describe it? How candid can and should people be about “hard core realities”—such as seeing massive problems that they cannot fix, finding rest/relaxation in the midst of human misery, dealing as young women with multiple marriage proposals from locals, and exposing/preventing physical-sexual abuse in TCK settings? The two sets of resources (humanitarian realties—Stuff Expat Aid Workers Like etc. –and mission realities—MK Safety net etc.) will inform, entertain, and perhaps at times disturb you. Photo courtesy IRIN ©2008 Deghati/IRIN

Global Mental Health-Map.  This new website lists key resources for Global Mental Health (GMH). The goal is to help us to better understand and navigate the GMH domain and find relevant ways for connecting and contributing. Very relevant for member care. The site is part of an ongoing collaborative project to research, compile, and share GMH materials. We welcome your contributions and suggestions in order to make GMH-Map as useful as possible! Be sure to see the two brief overview articles that are linked on the site that list key resources in GMH (Psychology International, July 2011, March 2012).

New: Here is a one-page description and the links for our three GMH overview articles. Great for training settings too! Resource articles for GMH orientation–ODonnell

Planet India. This expanded issue of the Resource Update for Good Practice (June 2012) focuses on member care in India. The first set of resources present two books: Member Care in India: Ministry Call to Home Call (2012) and Marriage Masala: 52 Spices for a Healthy Marriage (2004). The second set of resources highlight the work a large member care organization in India called Mission Upholders Trust (MUT). There is a feature article from the Chennai-based magazine Christian Manager which overviews MUT’s history, values, and programs as well as a short summary of the recent national consultation on member care by MUT in Bangalore. These are of course just a few of the many materials and organizations related to member care in India today.

Confronting Corruption: Safeguards for Staff and Senders. This is an expanded issue of the Resource Update for Good Practice (April 2012). It includes 10 essential resources to help us understand, prevent, and deal with corruption.We highlight key materials with representative quotes from the faith-based community and the humanitarian/business sectors. One caveat to really take to heart: We are far more naïve about corruption—and our own capacity for self-deception—than we care to admit. Further, resources to deal with corruption are only as effective as the integrity and skill of the people who use them. We encourage us all to review these materials with colleagues and to apply them in our settings.

Physical Health—Preventing NCDs. This month (September) in the Resource Update for Good Practice we focus on the prevention and control of NCDs—non-communicable diseases.Governments, civil society, and the private sector have been involved in an extensive process to deal with four of the main NCDs: cancer, cardio-vascular, chronic respiratory, and diabetes. Four risk factors (often “lifestyle” factors) associated with these diseases are also targeted:inactivity (lack of exercise), poor diet (sugars, fats, trans-fats, processed foods), tobacco use, and alcohol abuse. Note that mental health and socioeconomic status—poverty—are also hugely influential. The two sets of resources included are from the United Nations and the World Health Organization.Reviewing and discussing resources like these can help prevent NCDs and promote healthy lifestyles for mission/aid staff and the people with whom they work (many who live in impoverished conditions and hence very vulnerable to these NCDs.)

Operational Security in Mission/Aid Settings. The focus of this month’s Resource Update for Good Practice (December 2010) is on operational security management. The first resource is the revised manual from Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN) on staff security.This comprehensive and updated manual is available as a free download starting 3 December 2010 at HPN.The second resource highlights materials from Crisis Consulting International (CCI).  CCI provides training, consultation, and resources in crisis management and security. This issue of the Update builds on the theme of safety and protection from the June 2010 Update (Staying Alive in Dangerous Places) Photo: Child in a rebel camp. Central African Republic. ©HDPTCAR

Interview with Dr. Michele and Dr. Kelly O’Donnell, consulting psychologists in member care, April 2012. We discuss global member care and several issues and opportunities in light of some of the challenges that are facing the world. (Interview by Bennet Emanuel with Christian Manager magazine, in India. —Bennet died suddenly shortly after this interview–he was much loved and still in his 30s.) The interview also highlights the need to cross sectors for good practice and to meaningfully connect and contribute in many new ways globally. (photo from Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu)

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