How to do VCA? - International Federation of Red Cross and Red ...

14International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesWhat is VCA?VCA is a methodology for investigation. It is a means of gatheringinformation through a participatory way. Its purpose is toincrease community members’ awareness of risks and help themto plan activities for reducing vulnerability and increasing capacitybefore a disaster happens.The first publication in this series, What is VCA?, describes VCA as:“…an integral part (but not the only part) of disaster preparednessthat can contribute to the creation of community-based disaster preparednessprogrammes at the rural and urban grass-roots level. It is atool which enables local priorities to be identified and leads to thedesign of actions that contribute to disaster reduction.(…) With VCA, local people and communities become the focus –not only as recipients of funding, but ideally as active participants inthe development initiative. When applied to disaster preparedness,such methods can encourage participation, so that the people becomemore completely involved in the identification of risks and in thedesign of programmes and actions to prepare for disasters.”Given National Societies’ broader responsibilities in disaster management,it is clear that risk reduction and capacity building atthe national level remain key priorities. Within this context, riskanalysis and hazard mapping can help identify those high-riskcommunities which would benefit from more detailed investigations,through community VCAs.KeymessageVCA itself is best geared to addressingissues at the local level.