Programme

Teamwork is essential for the success of any organization.

In the training activities of this module, the group of students, led by professional trainers, will define good teamwork in the context of development and humanitarian work. Students will work on confidence, interpersonal and intercultural communication skills and accountability, mutual help, leadership, conflict management and how to build trust with diverse team members.

Team building exercises will aim at:

• Increasing team interaction;
• Building a productive and energized culture;
• Preparing the team for efficient stress management;
• Breaking down barriers;
• Improving team performance;
• Respecting and understanding ethical values, people and communities;
• Giving back and the emotional connection as a reward;
• Understand the causes of conflicts within a team, how to prevent and solve them.

The activities will be held in a protected environment, next to zones recently affected by a natural disaster.

The objectives of the module are the following:

• To provide an overview of the humanitarian relief system and of the international development cooperation, highlighting differences and interactions between the two systems;
• To introduce to the participants, the main actors of the humanitarian operations system (international and governmental organizations, main non-governmental organizations), their principles of intervention and networks;
• To provide an overview of the international law, of the European Mechanism of Civil Protection and of the military-civilian cooperation;
• To present principles of anthropology within humanitarian sector;
• To illustrate the Sphere project and its proposed Standards for the humanitarian operations;
• To present geographical focus on main target areas of the humanitarian operations: Mediterranean and Middle East: history, activism and social movements, economic system. Africa: history, economic system, political transitions, migrations and conflicts. The Balkans: history, economic system, political transition process, migration and new challenges. Middle East: history, political system, climate changes and new challenges.

Presentation of real case studies of humanitarian operations.

The objective of this module is to cover the basic principles and advanced methods for managing complex projects, according to the Project Cycle Management.

In details, the students will learn how to:

• Design a project proposal that respects the gender equality and vulnerable groups’ rights;
• Draft a logistical budget;
• Conduct a risk assessment;
• Evaluate a project;
• Write a report answering to donors’ requests.

The unit introduces the phases of humanitarian aid, the logistics skills and backgrounds, the relationships and support and the Logistics Organizational Chart.

This introduction includes a Role Play activity “First reply to a natural crisis”.

At the end of the module, the students will be able to efficiently and effectively activate the humanitarian aid supply chain.

The objectives are the following:

- To develop basic logistics concepts and frameworks for decision-making in humanitarian supply chain;

- To provide knowledge and foundation skills needed to set up, maintain and manage a warehouse and inventory operations, respecting national and international regulations for stocking humanitarian aids.

The student will familiarize with:

• How to plan and manage a procurement plan of goods and services;
• How to monitor the ongoing purchase and procurement process;
• How to respect and guarantee the gender equality, vulnerable and disable persons’ rights in purchasing and distribution;
• How to learn apply import, export, transportation and shipment regulations.

The aim of this unit is to examine the function of fleet management in HL, its system and procedures, security and legislative requirements. It includes the selection of vehicles and equipment, necessary procedures to set up, manage and monitor a fleet of vehicles.

Through simulations and role plays, students will acquire the necessary knowledge and foundation skills for planning a fleet management to meet programme needs; preparing different transports (air transport, sea transport, land transport); selecting suitable vehicle, equipment and facilities, loading and downloading procedures.

The aim of the module is to develop skills and competencies to ensure access to energy in remote areas; to maintain energy devices (generators, solar panels, inverters, etc.); to manage fuel procurement and fuel stock; to maintain electric systems; to replace and anticipate equipment needs.

With this unit, students will become familiar with the main communication tools used in the humanitarian system (Radio VHF, HF, handsets, Satellites, etc.); with different communication ways (emergency and not). During workshop, simulation and role plays, they will also learn how to create a radio room and how to manage and maintain main communication tools.

The students will acquire principles of logistics of the health sector. They will develop the needed know how to plan and manage the supply chain within the health sector, in respect of international and national regulations.

The students will acquire knowledge and foundation skills needed to manage all logistic operations into the WASH sector. They will learn how to apply main technologies for water supply, hygienic services’ installation and maintenance and waste management.

The students will learn and get familiar with the main types of shelters and temporary settlement. They will develop the following skills:

- How to plan and set up a temporary settlement;

- How to manage and maintain a temporary settlement and all its services and facilities;

Part of the module will focus on renewable resources that may be applied in temporary settlement (how to choose the most suitable technology, how to install and maintain it).

During the module is foreseen an outdoor practical training to get familiar with the usage of items used during a real intervention on the ground.

The module is designed to provide an overview of the Humanitarian Needs Assessment processes and tools. Assessments enable logisticians to understand the impact of a disaster on the environment, how the population is affected, and how the logistics services are to be provided. The findings from logistics assessments are critical in enabling appropriate decision making, planning and organisation for effective disaster response.

The module aims at developing personal and professional skills in order to improve the security level of the logistician, other personal and of the beneficiaries of the humanitarian operations.

The students will familiarize with the main factors of vulnerability, risks and potential emergency situations (terrorist attack, kidnapping, sexual harassment, etc.) and related strategies to prevent and mitigate these risks (emergency procedures, prevention system, safety room, survival kit).

At the end of the module, the students will be able to set an evacuation plan and how to apply it when needed.

The participants will be able to deliver a first aid, offering basic medical assistance, in accordance with their role and intervention limits.

The participants will develop personal and professional skills, such as interpersonal and communications skills, needed by a logistician in humanitarian operations, a cross cutting figure.

The students will learn decision-making techniques and problem-solving competencies. The module will focus on:

• How to coordinate and communicate within a team of different professionals (HR management);
• How to communicate with the media, beneficiaries and donors;
• How to effectively manage the working time, balancing it with the free time;
• How to recognize and manage stress conditions and how to apply relaxing activities (as yoga in emergencies).

Classes will be integrated by interactive, immersive and engaging e-learning activities. It will be possible to deepen the course topics through the online platform. Webinars will allow students to further get in touch with experts working in remote areas. Q&A sessions will help learners to get answers to any unclear sections or questions. Forum activities, online discussions and virtual brainstorming will encourage the exchange of ideas or doubts among students and teachers by posting comments. A documents repository will gather interesting and useful documents and links to websites suggested by the course teachers.

The Project work will force the students to do research and act by themselves using the knowledges, competences and skill assimilated and acquired during the course according to their personal interests and aptitudes. The Project Work will be developed under the guidance and monitoring of a personal tutor. The project work will enable students to gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a real, engaging, and complex problems, or challenges.