Created: 25 August 2022
Last edited: 14 August 2023
VOST: Crowdsourcing and Digital Volunteering in Emergency Response
Quick Facts
Publishing Organisation:
EENA a.s.b.l.
Year:
2017
Languages:
English
Status:
Published
Covers Thematic
VOST Virtual Operations Support Team</br></br>Experts in dealing with social media, the acquisition, processing and presentation of digital information. They can search through and check images, videos and text contributions on various platforms for relevant facts and prepare the information for the responsible authorities, e.g. separate important from unimportant or incorrect information.
Target audience
Civil Society Civil society is a target group in LINKS which comprises citizens, civil society organizations, educational institutions, vulnerable groups, social movement organizations
Policy Makers local, national, and European agencies and institutes, public authorities, standardization bodies
Practitioners Practitioners is a target group in LINKS which comprises local, national and European disaster management organizations, civil protection agencies, first responders, NGOs, security networks...
Audience experience level
Disaster Management Phase
After Also referred to as 'Recovery Phase'</br></br>The restoring or improving of livelihoods and health, as well as economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets, systems and activities, of a disaster-affected community or society, aligning with the principles of sustainable development and “build back better”, to avoid or reduce future disaster risk.</br></br>Source: https://www.undrr.org/terminology/recovery
Before Comprises 'Preparedness Phase' and 'Prevention Phase'</br></br>Preparedness action is carried out within the context of disaster risk management and aims to build the capacities needed to efficiently manage all types of emergencies and achieve orderly transitions from response to sustained recovery.</br></br>Source: https://www.undrr.org/terminology/preparedness</br></br>Prevention (i.e., disaster prevention) expresses the concept and intention to completely avoid potential adverse impacts of hazardous events.</br></br>Source: https://www.undrr.org/terminology/prevention
During Also referred to as "Response Phase"</br></br>Actions taken directly before, during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.</br></br>Annotation: Disaster response is predominantly focused on immediate and short-term needs and is sometimes called disaster relief. Effective, efficient and timely response relies on disaster risk-informed preparedness measures, including the development of the response capacities of individuals, communities, organizations, countries and the international community.</br></br>Source: https://www.undrr.org/terminology/response
Synopsis
No synopsis provided.
Volunteering in emergency response and civil protection has evolved in the last years, and now includes new means of collaboration such as crowdsourcing initiatives through Social Networks.
This document introduces one of these new ways of volunteering, the digital one, specifically through the example of international Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOST) and their proven track record in supporting Emergency Services (ES) and Public Authorities in doing Social Media for Emergency Management (SMEM).
