Sponsor Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR LOCAL CHILDREN OF WAR RESCUE PROJECT (CWRP) SPONSORS

ORGANIZING A SUPPORT NETWORK

War-wounded children receiving pro bono medical/surgical/rehabilitative care through the CWRP will be accompanied by a parent or other adult guardian. Local support networks are expected to provide all necessary resources for both the child being treated for war injuries as well as the child's parent or other guardian such as:

(1) A host (a local family providing safe and adequate shelter and meals in their home - see Host guidelines);

(2) Translators (at least 2 and preferably 3); and

(3) Transportation (at least 3, and preferably 4, individuals over the age of 21 who have a driver's license, a safe driving record, and own or have access to a clean and well maintained vehicle).

Hosts, translators and transportation providers should be willing to create a schedule so that several hours each week can be devoted to showing guest[s] around their immediate neighborhood and taking them to local shopping malls and other points of interest within a reasonable distance of the host family's home.

Following release from in-hospital care, and during the period of rehabilitative care, child beneficiaries of CWRP who are of school age must be enrolled in a local school.

Sponsors should identify and locate the appropriate church/synagogue/mosque/temple closest to the host family's home and contact the senior cleric to request assistance in meeting the spiritual needs of their guests.

Sponsors should identify one individual within their organization who will serve as the Public Relations Officer and will be prepared to interact with local media personnel, bearing in mind that no information of a medical nature, other than a brief description of the injury and how it was sustained, is to be shared with the media or the general public. For further details of a medical nature, media personnel should be advised to contact the hospital's Public Information Officer or other individual designated by hospital officials to serve as a public spokesperson.

Should any otherwise irresolvable problem arise within the host family's household that involves, or is in any way related to, their guests, the host family and/or their adult guest should notify a previously designated official of the sponsoring organization immediately. Mediation should be arranged and the CWRP office should be notified as soon as possible. A mediation team shall be appointed by the sponsoring organization consisting of three individuals: a chairperson appointed by the sponsoring organization, a person chosen by the host family, and a person chosen by or acceptable to the adult guest [preferably a senior member of the clergy associated with the adult guest's place of worship].