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

How to do a VCA 39Useful Tips Sensitization meetingSome key points to remember are:■ Issue the invitation in writing, where appropriate;■ Ensure participation and involvement of as many communityleaders as possible, and gaining their approval and commitmentfor the process.■ Make sure that all participants are aware of who else willattend the meeting.■ Prepare an agenda and a presentation with key messages thatyou wish to communicate to community leaders.■ Avoid creating unrealistic expectations of the Red Cross RedCrescent in the community. This meeting is the first opportunitywhere these may arise. If you are not clear from the beginning,you will have problems in maintaining the focus of thecommunity for the remainder of the VCA.Box 11What should come out of a meetingwith community leadersBy the end of the meeting you should have:■ clear points of reference within the community with whom you willwork;■ a better idea of community interests and needs;■ community ownership and commitment of the VCA process, focusingon vulnerabilities and capacities (rather than on all the issues facedby the community); and■ a tentative, simple VCA action plan with a proposed timeline – developedwith and agreed upon by the community leaders by the end ofthe meeting.Remember that it is up to community members to decide whether or notto become involved. If they decide to participate, they will be able tohelp the team with information-gathering. They know best with whom theteam should talk, when is the best time to find people and where theycan be found.