The Vulnerable Humanitarian

This book challenges the prevalence of stress and burnout culture within the aid sector, laying bare the issues of power, agency, security and wellbeing that continue to trouble organisations and staff. It is essential reading both for current aid sector employees and for prospective employees and students.

Gemma Houldey, PhD, is an independent researcher, facilitator and advisor on staff care and culture change in the aid and development sector. For over 15 years she has worked on human rights and conflict programmes for international NGOs including Christian Aid and Amnesty International, and civil society groups in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Uganda and Tanzania. Trained in several somatic and healing modalities, Gemma designs and delivers support programmes aimed at creating more compassionate and inclusive working cultures, weaving in appropriate practices for self- and collective care.

Introduction Part I: Deconstructing Stress and Wellbeing in the Aid Sector 1. The Perfect Humanitarian 2. Stress? What Stress? 3.Wellbeing Part II: Creating Healthy, Inclusive Work Environments 4. Making Wellbeing Inclusive and Central to Aid Practice 5. Assessing your Organisational Culture 6. Welcoming the Vulnerable Humanitarian Concluding Reflections