Psychology’s role in socio-climatic disasters: experience in a shelter in RS

Abstract

This report describes the experience of an intervention by Psychology professionals and students in the context of emergency and disaster in a shelter during the biggest socio-climatic disaster in the history of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). In May 2024, the campus of a private university was occupied by around 8,000 people, which required intense participation from civil society. This intervention was led by six Psychology teachers together with 111 volunteers from the area, including professionals and undergraduate students. Different working groups were organized, in stages that included training, contact with local authorities and the Regional Psychology Council, organization of a daily routine and creation of methods to record and communicate crucial information. The first actions involved bringing together all volunteers for integrated action, establishing a work schedule, having a base meeting room, mapping resources at the shelter and creating self-care routines. The next steps were articulating work with the municipal network, improving internal flows, assigning tasks to psychologists, interns and academics and recording protocol for continuous monitoring cases (n = 213) made up of 74% women (average age = 35 .60 years; SD = 14.67; age range 4 to 82 years). The Psychology intervention lasted one month and was replaced by public health services as soon as possible. The challenges involved the lack of prior training in disaster management and the absence of government contingency plans, highlighting the need for investment in professional psychology training to work in emergencies and disasters.