Certificate of Advanced Studies: Locally-led Humanitarian Action

Integrating local response and spontaneous self-help in crisis situations after a natural disaster or a conflict is not an easy task. This training developed and conducted by the Local2Global Protection Initiative (L2GP) will help you understand and support survivor and community-led crisis responses (sclr) in a manner that fits local realities and adds to resources already present with affected citizens and communities. This hands-on training introduces you to the core elements in this way of working. The focus is on practical experience with the tools you need to support genuinely community-led responses that serve both immediate needs but also attempts to reduce future vulnerability and increase resilience of crisis-affected communities.

Please note: The booking of this course is being administered by the Ruhr-University Bochum Academy (RUB Academy). You will be forwarded to the external booking page when clicking on the registration button.

For many NGOs it is a huge challenge to find new partner organisations in project countries with whom they can implement humanitarian projects. In this seminar we will discuss the following questions: What is partnership and what are important aspects in a partnership for your organisation? How can potential partner organisations find common understandings of partnership? How can a partner assessment that is based on reciprocity (where not only capacities of the local partner are assessed) be carried out? What are different methods to conduct assessments? What are specific requirements from donors (esp. GFFO) with regard to partner selection (e.g. financial, structural)? How can you find out if possible partner organisations fit your organisation and your organisation’s way of working (‘soft skills’ of cooperation besides financial or structural checks)? How can assessments be harmonised and results be shared among different organisations to enhance transparency and to avoid duplication of work?

This course will take place on 04 and 11 March from 09 am to 12:30 pm and on 23 and 30 March from 09 am to 01 pm. Between the different course sessions, you will engange in self-learning phases and group work.

This course gives you an introduction into design thinking as a method. You will learn innovative methods to generate ideas and will also test it in practice. We will focus on humanitarian project work and design thinking exercises with people on the move, displaced persons or refugees. The course draws on entrepreneurial approaches but makes them applicable to humanitarian project work.

Please note: This course will be held in German and requires at least a working level of German language skills. For more information check the German section of this page (choose language settings at the right hand corner). The training is part of aha's certification scheme and can be credited towards a Certificate of Advanced Studies in "Locally-led Humanitarian Action".

Many organizations are not sure how they can raise difficult issues with their partners without endangering the partnership. In an online learning series, you will discuss how difficult issues such as corruption prevention, safeguarding or conflict resolution can be addressed and discussed in a partnership. You will learn how to maintain a trusting partnership.

This course will be held on 16 and 23 June as well as on 7 July, 2021. and includes regular breaks. It is eligible for the Certificate of Advanced Studies in "Locally-led Humanitarian Action".

Participatory Video is a process where people jointly develop a story and make a film to visualize and discuss an issue that is important for them. By going through the process together, the participants acquire a deep context understanding, capture voices without filters and build a trustful relationship. The process is more important than the final video produced. At the same time, screening the film gives the opportunity to invite others into a meaningful dialogue about the topic.  See the trailer Remote Participatory Video – a space for the unheard voices here.

The method replies to the need to work more local and more inclusive in international cooperation – even remotely.  The method can be used among others for assessment, evaluation, research and lobby and advocacy purposes. In this course, you will apply the method and will remotely co-create a video story. A topic with complexity – e.g. behavior change or emotionally touching issues- will be explored and translated into a story. The training ends with a screening and is thus an opportunity for you to apply the method in your workplace right away. 

The online training will take place from 26 October to 4 November 2021 and includes regular breaks. The course is eligible for the Certificate of Advanced Studies in “Locally-led Humanitarian Action”. You will receive further information and registration details in due time via our newsletter. Please note: There will be a final screening session of 2 hours, however the date is yet to be determined.

The Grand Bargain has boldly called for a “participation revolution” in humanitarian action. However, truly designing projects from the bottom up, with and for people who are directly affected by crises, often proves difficult in practice. Not every method fits everywhere and with each community. Time pressure and moral dilemmas make it even harder.

In this training we are looking in detail at what methods are available and which to select at what time. This requires a good look at the context, our own roles and responsibilities, and limitations of methods and mandates. The training itself is designed in a highly engaging way getting you to use the methods from the outset.

The online training will take place between 17 November, 22 November and 01 December 2021 and includes group-learning activities. The course is eligible for the Certificate of Advanced Studies in “Locally-led Humanitarian Action”.

People-First Impact Method (P-FIM) is a community engagement tool where communities lead in identifying important issues and activities in their lives. The starting point is people and communities, not projects or agencies. It builds transparency, shared learning and trust between all stakeholders, especially the community, local government and agencies. P-FIM strengthens communication with affected people as a basis for accurate information gathering, understanding context and facilitating active engagement. It can be used for assessments, monitorings and evaluation. As a participant, you will qualify to facilitate P-FIM exercises.

The course is planned as a face-to-face training in Berlin from 28 March to 1 April 2022 and includes regular breaks.

People-First Impact Method (P-FIM) is a community engagement tool where communities lead in identifying important issues and activities in their lives. The starting point is people and communities, not projects or agencies. It builds transparency, shared learning and trust between all stakeholders, especially the community, local government and agencies. P-FIM strengthens communication with affected people as a basis for accurate information gathering, understanding context and facilitating active engagement. It can be used for assessments, monitorings and evaluation. As a participant, you will qualify to facilitate P-FIM exercises.

The course is planned as a face-to-face training in Berlin from 31 October to 4 November 2022 and includes regular breaks. The course is eligible for one of the Certificates of Advanced Studies in the areas of "Foundations of Humanitarian Actions " or "Locally-Led Humanitarian Action".

The Grand Bargain has boldly called for a “participation revolution” in humanitarian action. However, truly designing projects from the bottom up, with and for people who are directly affected by crises, often proves difficult in practice. Not every method fits everywhere and with each community. Time pressure and moral dilemmas make it even harder.

In this experiential training we will explore in detail what methods are available and which to select at what time. This requires a good look at the context, our own roles and responsibilities, and limitations of methods and mandates. The training itself is designed in a highly engaging way getting you to use the methods from the outset.

The in-person training will take place in Bochum in autumn 2022 and includes group-learning activities. The course is eligible for the Certificate of Advanced Studies at the academy for humanitarian action in the areas of "Foundations of Humanitarian Actions " as well as "Locally-Led Humanitarian Action".

Integrating local response and spontaneous self-help in crisis situations after a disaster or conflict, whether rapid onset, chronic, or protracted, is not an easy task. This hands-on workshop developed and conducted by the Local2Global Protection Initiative (L2GP) and a Ukrainian national NGO partner  will introduce you to the survivor and community-led crisis responses (sclr) approach in conflict situations, including lessons learned from Ukraine . Through hearing from experience and learning that has begun emerging from facilitating sclr around the war in Ukraine, you may see the potential for supporting and resourcing efforts already made by citizens and communities during times of crisis and conflict situations. This course will equip you with the deep understanding, relevant tools, and learning from practical experience you need to support genuinely community-led responses.

The course is planned as an online course from 21 to 23 November 2022 and includes regular breaks. It is part of the academy for humanitarian action's certification scheme in "Locally-led Humanitarian Action".

Humanitarian organizations operate in volatile contexts and are exposed to diverse risks. A robust risk management mechanism can minimize their impact. The focus of this training will be on risks related to safety and security as well as how to implement and maintain a comprehensive risk management system together with partner organizations. On the basis of the Circle of Security, participants will discuss how to conduct a context analysis and a risk assessment, how to reduce the impacts of the identified risks and how to formalize them in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). They will also get familiar with contingency planning and the monitoring of their risk management.

The online training will take place on 17, 19 and 24 April as well as 4 May 2023 with own case studies between the online sessions for the participants to apply the seminar learnings to their own work contexts. The course includes regular breaks and is eligible for one of the Certificates of Advanced Studies in the area of "Foundations of Humanitarian Action" or "Locally-led Humanitarian Action".