Session B. Training and capacity development for the humanitarian sector

Chair: David Wightwick

Facilitator:Kate O’Brien

Speakers:Ben Emmens (People In Aid), Christine Williamson (People In Aid), Dr Michael Dickmann (Cranfield), Dr Emma Parry (Cranfield), Catherine Russ (RedR), Megan Price (ActionAid)

------

Time / Who / What
11.00 / David / Welcome, Introductions, Outline of the Session
11.05 / David / Introduce project presentation
11.10 / Ben / Project presentation- Engaging tomorrow’s global humanitarian leaders, today
11.50 / David / Q&A on project presentation
12.05 / David / Introduce Planning workshop - Supporting UK universities to integrate core humanitarian competencies into taught courses for the humanitarian sector
12.10 / Kate / Run Planning workshop
12.15 / Cath & Megan / Presentation on findings & competencies (15 mins – during planning workshop)
12.55 / David / Summarise and thank Speakers
13.00 / Break for Lunch

Objectives:

  • Universities: understand what is required from the humanitarian sector in terms of developing future leaders and why and how competencies are relevant to the sector
  • Humanitarian NGOs: understand their role in terms of influencing and contributing to university curricula
  • Key message: there is currently a barrier between graduates (including international students) completing a post-graduate degree and launching a career in the humanitarian sector in terms of the level of skills, knowledge and personal approach that are required (N.B. acknowledge that it is not necessarily the fault of the universities and that they often find it difficult to engage with NGOs). This workshop is about helping to start facilitating those conversations to start to bridge that gap (N.B. emphasise that this is just the start of that conversation).

Structure of the Planning workshop

1. Introduction (5 mins)

ELRHA has at least £20,000 to invest in supporting a self selecting group of UK universities to explore and take practical steps to integrate recognised humanitarian competencies into taught post-graduate curricula. This planning workshop will seek to launch this process by exploring how the learning from the humanitarian leadership project and ELRHA’s own research into humanitarian competencies can be utilised by universities to produce graduates with the requisite knowledge, skills and personal approach for a career in the humanitarian field.

Key points (re-emphasise above key message in objectives and link to below):

  • Humanitarian NGOs: invite to put forward your thoughts on what you are looking for from universities and what you would like to see included in curricula
  • Universities: think through the practicalities of implementing this and your motivations for doing it

2. Cath- Presentation - Findings from the scoping study & core competency framework (15 mins) (inc. 5 mins from Megan Price – ActionAid on CBHA competencies)

3. Small Group discussion (20 mins)

Split into 5 groups (1 x 6 & 4 x 5)

  1. While accepting that there is a need for a diversity of courses and subjects do the group feel there is value in developing some recognised core content for courses aiming to develop graduates for employment in the humanitarian sector?
  2. Could universities integrate core competencies into taught courses?
  3. What would the motivation(s) be for universitiesto do this and for NGOs to engage in the process?
  4. What would be the principal challenges to achieving this?

4. Feedback to whole group (10 mins)

5 groups = max 2 mins per group

Feedback key points or anything new to add following previous group

5. Whole group vote (5 mins)

Q 1) While accepting that there is a need for a diversity of courses and subjects do the group feel there is value in developing some recognised core content for courses aiming to develop graduates for employment in the humanitarian sector?

Q2) Could universities integrate core competencies into taught courses?

(Kate to collate numbers of how many voted in favour, etc.)

6. Thanks (5 mins)– close by stressing that this is clearly the start of a longer conversation and explain that ELRHA will follow up theserecommendations by organising a further meeting/workshop for all interested parties to take forward the recommendations made by the group. ELRHA would welcome further thoughts and feedback from the participants. Anyone interested in being involved further in the working group can indicate their interest in the evaluation form.