Building a Better Response: Gaps and Good Practice in Training for Humanitarian Reform

Gaps & Good Practice Toolkit

Introduction This tool kit is one of three outputs from a global mapping study of NGO participation in humanitarian reform training initiatives, the objective of which was to conduct a mapping and analysis of existing and/or planned training initiatives on humanitarian reform (which includes the cluster approach, pooled funding, humanitarian leadership and general coordination) that are accessible to and targeted at NGOs. There are 3 main outputs from the research: Output 1: The humanitarian reform training matrix is presented in a spread sheet and comprises a database of relevant training initiatives from across the humanitarian sector disaggregated by theme, geographic location, approach and participants. A brief description of each training initiative is provided along with a web link to training resources. Output 2: A toolkit which draws from the information collected in the matrix and provides guidance on gaps and best practices has been prepared as an operational guide for organisations seeking to provide training on humanitarian reform. Output 3: The research report provides analysis from the quantitative data contained in the matrix and summarises the qualitative feedback received from consultations with NGO staff on participation in humanitarian reform training initiatives.

Headlines from the research and limitations While most agencies participate in humanitarian coordination mechanisms in their operations, the design and delivery of formal training initiatives tends to be undertaken by reform mechanisms themselves supported by a variety of training institutions. OCHA plays an important function in supporting the roll-out of training and in providing general humanitarian coordination (including reform) training. Interagency initiatives provide training on specific issues related to response (such as accountability, communication and needs assessment). While a few NGOs with formal cluster or surge capacity roles support training efforts most international NGOs tend address humanitarian reform through internal training programmes and staff inductions although many staff must learn on-the-job particularly in times of rapid scale-up. National NGOs largely rely on participation in formal training events to meet their needs although most staff learn-on-the-job. While many of the global humanitarian reform components (such as the clusters and the CERF Secretariat) were able to provide consolidated training data the lack of a mandated entity to coordinate country-level participation in humanitarian reform training meant that only in a few instances was country-level data obtained (from OCHA) which significantly compromised the study and limited the level of analysis that could be undertaken. The importance of addressing this gap is one of the most important recommendations of the research. Structure of the tool kit Tool 1 (gaps and good practice) provides a brief description of the most common gaps in how humanitarian reform-related training is designed and delivered and identifies key stakeholders who are most often overlooked by training initiatives. It also identifies good practices that can be used to address these gaps. Tool 2 (good practice examples) highlights some of the best practices that were encountered during the research which go some way to filling the gaps identified during the research. Web links are provided to materials on neglected issues that are relevant to humanitarian reform but for which few dedicated resources were found during the research Tool 3 (humanitarian reform training resources) provides a list of links to resources that are publicly available to organisations wanting to design and deliver internal or external training on humanitarian reform and which may provide relevant content.
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Building a Better Response: Gaps and Good Practice in Training for Humanitarian Reform

Tool 1: Gaps and Good Practice

Purpose: This section provides a summary of the most significant gaps in humanitarian reform training and presents methods to increase the relevance and impact of training on the humanitarian community. 1.1 Identify training needs Gap: There is a lack of analysis about training needs, particularly at a country level where there is a gap in the coordination of training on humanitarian reform. Country-level learning needs and coordination of training: Assess and analyse key trends in knowledge of humanitarian reform and identify where the specific gaps lie (be they related to specific stakeholders or specific themes). Mandate a single entity to coordinate humanitarian reform training initiatives. Organisational training needs analysis: Conduct an assessment of organisational learning needs to identify areas where there are knowledge-deficits and how these can best be addressed (whether through training or other means). Analyse how these fit with competency frameworks and whether these can be matched with existing training programmes. Identification of individual learning needs: Analyse information on the needs of specific learners and understand who has the greatest need for training and how this can best be met. 1.2 Use appropriate training methodologies Gap: Training methodologies which are used arent always the most appropriate (given preferred methods of learning and the extent of the learning needs) and participant accountability for using the learning from training is generally poor. Learning-by-doing: The research suggests that aid workers preferred method of learning is learning by doing which suggests that pairing
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staff for purposes of coaching and mentoring can be an effective way of capacity development in this context or investing in staff placements in humanitarian situations as part of training Simulations: Simulations have found to be an effective method of providing humanitarian staff immersion in realistic emergency scenarios requiring real-time decision-making. Many consider that if they are facilitated effectively they allow a greater depth of understanding and can provide a safe environment for failures and challenges to be addressed. Accountability for training: Many tools have been developed to support learning and to strengthen accountability for the use of new skills before, during and after training. Including management in pre-training discussions and working with participants to identify opportunities to apply new learning post-training is considered good practice; the use of learning logs during training help capture key lessons and actions to follow up on; the development of a learning development plan to guide self-directed learning after the training can be incorporated into staff objectives. e-learning: e-learning has the potential to reach large numbers of staff and if designed well could play an important part in filling gaps in knowledge on humanitarian reform. 1.3 Focus greater attention on neglected stakeholders Gap: Training isnt evenly spread across different partners in the humanitarian community; national staff participating at a sub-national level is the group that is most overlooked despite it comprising the bulk of humanitarian capacity. Font-line staff: Feedback from NGO participants in the research and analysis of the matrix suggests that training isnt evenly spread across different partners in the humanitarian community. One particular gap

Building a Better Response: Gaps and Good Practice in Training for Humanitarian Reform is at sub-national cluster level. A second gap identified by the research was national NGO staff who often comprise the majority of cluster participants but who studies show have the greatest gaps in understanding. 1.4 Focus greater attention on neglected themes Gap: Partnership, accountability and leadership were the issues which the research highlighted as the most significant training gaps which if addressed could have considerable impact on NGO participation in humanitarian reform and on the quality of humanitarian response more generally. Appropriate training will go some way to addressing these. Partnership: Perhaps the greatest challenge for the humanitarian community is how to most effectively contribute to the active and effective participation of all partners in clusters and in humanitarian architecture more broadly and while the Principles of Partnership are increasingly included as part of humanitarian reform training initiatives, there is still significant work to do to address attitudes and power imbalances between humanitarian partners. Accountability: While accountability has been addressed in humanitarian reform from a predictability perspective, there was far more concern from those interviewed that it had been insufficiently dealt with from a beneficiary accountability perspective and while there are significant resources available in the sector, the clusters have been slow to address issues of collective accountability to crisis-affected communities. Humanitarian leadership: While greater attention has been given to humanitarian leadership in recent years, strategic countrylevel leadership by the Humanitarian Country Team remains a weakness and speaks to a failure of partnership and weak accountabilities between partners. While a solution will require the accountability deficit to be addressed, a process of teambuilding which seeks to build trust and develop a shared agenda may provide a platform for stronger collaboration.

Tool 2: Good Practice Case Studies

Purpose: This section seeks to document good practice in humanitarian reform training. The case studies address gaps highlighted by the research, strengthen the relevance of the training and increase the likelihood of positive outcomes for participants. 2.1 Good practice in the use of competency frameworks and capacity assessment tools Competency Frameworks: Frameworks have been developed to determine key competencies required by humanitarian staff. RedRs training competency framework is being billed as a future gold standard quality mark. (http://www.redr.org.uk/objects_store/training_c ompetency_framework.pdf). The CBHA core humanitarian competency framework is a shared resource which identifies 6 core
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competencies essential to all staff in emergency response. (http://www.thecbha.org/media/website/file/CBH

A_Core_Humanitarian_Competencies_Guide_Final pdf.pdf)

Organisational-level capacity assessment: The Act Alliance has developed an organisational capacity assessment tool which is being rolled out to its members as part of an Alliance-wide system of self-assessment (http://www.actalliance.org/resources/policiesand-guidelines/capacitydevelopment/publications?b_start:int=10&-C=).

Cluster-level capacity assessment: Several of the clusters have undertaken capacity assessments to varying degrees of depth. The 2008 WASH cluster capacity mapping tool, capacity assessment inception report, and result report are all available on the cluster website along with a series of

Building a Better Response: Gaps and Good Practice in Training for Humanitarian Reform recommendations for follow-up (http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Water%2
0Sanitation%20Hygiene/Pages/Project4CapacityM apping.aspx). The education cluster undertook

a similar capacity mapping assessment the following year which is available on the cluster website (http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Educatio n/Pages/Resources%20and%20Tools.aspx) 2.2 Good practice training methodologies Simulations: Simulations are used by a range of organisations to deliver training. The ECB have developed a simulation tool that can be adapted to different contexts and is available on their website in addition to extensive guidance material (http://www.ecbproject.org/simulations/simulatio npackage) e-learning: There are a variety of different web-based e-learning portals, one of the most popular membership-based ones is LINGOs (http://ngolearning.org/default.aspx). The Humanitarian Distance Learning Centre (HDLC) is another provider whos developed training in the sector (www.hdlc.com.au). Within the humanitarian community, the IASC has recently launched an e-learning course on gender equality which is available on their elearning homepage (http://www.iascelearning.org/home/) and UNFPA has an elearning course on gender-based violence in emergencies (https://extranet.unfpa.org/Apps/GBVinEmergenci es/index.html). Unicef also has an excellent module on nutrition in emergencies which includes a section on humanitarian reform (http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/training/list.htm l). The rapid e-learning blog has a wealth of advice and resources (http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/). 2.3 Good practice in addressing neglected stakeholders Supporting surge capacity: Haiti provided an example of training providers Bioforce and RedR - working together to address the problem of surge capacity and skills gaps in the context of a rapid onset crisis response (http://www.odihpn.org/report.asp?id=3215).
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Training front-line staff: One of the most comprehensive approaches to capacity development has been from the education cluster whose training programme has been systematic in terms of its geographic coverage and in its commitment to targeting and training country-level capacity for response (http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Educatio
n/publicdocuments/Education%20Cluster%20Strat egic%20Plan%202011-2013_Final.pdf).

Strengthening humanitarian partnership: The Humanitarian Forum has authored a paper in Humanitarian Exchange Magazine on crosscultural collaboration (http://www.odihpn.org/humanitarian-exchangemagazine/issue-50/cross-cultural-collaborationbuilding-partnerships) and a recent discussion

paper by the Global Humanitarian Platform provides an important context to the future of humanitarian partnerships (www.icva.ch/doc00004113.doc). 2.4 Good practice in addressing neglected themes Accountability to and communication with Crisis-affected Communities: The WASH Cluster has developed an accountability booklet which includes tools and resources and is presented alongside other relevant accountability materials (http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Water%2
0Sanitation%20Hygiene/Pages/Project14Accounta bility.aspx). The Humanitarian Accountability

Partnership also has tools and case studies which are available for download (http://www.hapinternational.org/case/studies.as px). One aspect of accountability, that of communication, is dealt with by Infoasaid and a recent report on Haiti provides case studies and best practice in communications with affected communities (http://infoasaid.org/sites/infoasaid.org/files/IAA_ Haiti_2010_0.pdf). The Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) initiative has also run training programmes on communication strategies for local media engagement in countries where it has been operational (for lessons from Pakistan see
http://cdacpakistan.wordpress.com/field-stafftraining/).

Building a Better Response: Gaps and Good Practice in Training for Humanitarian Reform National leadership capacity: The Consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies (CBHA) has been working in collaboration with the Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECB) and Oxfam GB on developing national leadership capacity (http://www.thecbha.org/what-we-do/capacitybuilding/). Collective humanitarian leadership: While the research found no evidence of training to strengthen collective humanitarian leadership there are plans to pilot such an initiative by the Humanitarian Leadership Strengthening Unit targeted at Humanitarian Country Team level. A potential resource for this is the work undertaken by the ECB on building trust in diverse teams with tools available for download on their website (http://www.ecbproject.org/building-trust-indiverse-teams/buildingtrustindiverseteams). 2.5 Good practice in supporting NGO participation in humanitarian reform MERLIN has sought to foster NGO participation in the health cluster (http://www.who.int/hac/global_health_cluster/n ewsletter/2/merlin_ngo_workshop/en/index.html) The NGOs and Humanitarian Reform Project continues to elicit feedback and support NGO participation in reform mechanisms (http://www.icva.ch/ngosandhumanitarianreform. html).

Tool 3: Humanitarian Reform Training Resources

Purpose: This section provides a guide to existing training resources on humanitarian reform. 3.1 Humanitarian Reform (general) Module on Humanitarian reform:
http://oneresponse.info/Coordination/ClusterAppr oach/publicdocuments/Humanitarian%20Reform% 20Presentation%20(English).ppt http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/training/list.html

Nutrition cluster e-learning tool on humanitarian reform and nutrition in emergencies:

http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/training/list.html

Nutrition package:

cluster

harmonised

training

http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Nutrition/ Pages/Capacity%20Development%20Working%20 Group.aspx

Health cluster orientation package:

http://www.who.int/hac/global_health_cluster/tr ainings/orientation/en/index.html

NGOs & Humanitarian Reform (NHRP) Basic Info Leaflet Series NGOs, clusters & other humanitarian coord mechanisms (2010):
http://www.icva.ch/doc00004350.pdf

Shelter centre training materials:

http://sheltercentre.org/training/search

NHRP Action suggestions for NGOs (2010):

http://www.icva.ch/doc00004346.pdf

Early recovery tools & guidance:

http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Early%20R ecovery/Pages/Tools%20and%20Guidance.aspx

3.2 Cluster Training Education cluster training materials:

http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Education /CapacityDevelopment/Pages/Capacity%20Develo pment.aspx

Camp coordination & management training opportunities

http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Camp%20 Coordination%20Management/Pages/Training%20 Resources.aspx

WASH cluster training for capacity building

http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Water%20 Sanitation%20Hygiene/Pages/Project6TrainingforC apacityBuilding.aspx

General cluster coordination resources (including a link to ClusterWise blog):

http://www.clustercoordination.org/howto

Gender-based violence training resources:

http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Protection /GBV/Pages/Tools%20and%20Resources.aspx

Food security cluster resources and tools:

http://foodsecuritycluster.org/resources-andtools;jsessionid=57191F3040DBD3DF2B2C91F6D7 3ED314 Andy Featherstone, January 2012 5

3.3 Humanitarian Financing

Building a Better Response: Gaps and Good Practice in Training for Humanitarian Reform CERF including EFR and CHF (2011):
https://www.sheltercluster.org/Global/Meeting%2 0documents/Humanitarian%20Financing%20prese ntation.ppt

NHRP Basic Information Leaflet Series Principles of Partnership (2010):

http://www.icva.ch/doc00004351.pdf

CERF Training Toolkit (2007):

http://ochaonline.un.org/cerf/HowtoApply/Trainin gToolKit/tabid/1811/Default.aspx

NHRP Basic Information Leaflet Series Financing mechanisms (2010):

http://www.icva.ch/doc00004393.pdf

3.6 General Coordination Training Resources The OCHA IM Toolbox includes field coordination, rapid assessment, Introduction to OCHA, Humanitarian Information Centres:
http://oneresponse.info/resources/imtoolbox/Pag es/Training.aspx

3.4 Humanitarian Leadership Humanitarian leadership & development resources:

http://oneresponse.info/Coordination/leadership/ Pages/Leadership%20Development.aspx

3.7 Needs Assessment Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) website http://www.acaps.org/en/pages/training Information is also available from OCHA:
http://oneresponse.info/resources/NeedsAssessm ent/Pages/Toolbox.aspx

3.5 Principles of Partnership

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