Overview

Increasingly, humanitarian workers are exposed to insecure environments due to lawlessness, political instability and armed conflict, so there is a compelling need for them to be adequately prepared for any dangers they may encounter.  All field workers should be proficient in establishing and maintaining telecommunications, whether working in a safe or hostile situation.  Conscious of the varying needs within the sector, RedR endeavours to address the concerns of a range of organizations.  These include relief, development and advocacy organizations, operational agencies and agencies that are not directly operational but provide support to community based organisations and national NGOs.

Aims & objectives

The course aim is to enhance the ability of participants to perform their role safely and effectively in the field.  Particular emphasis is made of the importance recognising the different mandates of organisations and the particular roles that individuals play as it relates to personal and team security.

Key objectives are that by the end of the course participants should be able to:

• Explain the importance of understanding individual roles and the security environment
• Describe measures to reduce personal and team vulnerability to a range of threats
• Operate information and communications equipment in an effective and safe manner.

Audience

The Personal Security & Communications course is designed for people from all professional backgrounds and disciplines, and is open to all RedR Register members, individuals and aid agency staff wanting to learn about personal security issues and the team implications.  More experienced individuals and aid agency staff, and staff based in a head office who carry out monitoring visits to the field seeking to consolidate and build on existing skills and knowledge will also benefit from this training, as the course provides a unique opportunity to enhance their skills, gain fresh insights and share practical experience with others.

Course outline

• International Context
• Image & Acceptance
• Road Blocks & Vehicle Security
• Weapons Awareness
• Communications Equipment
• Communications Procedures
• Navigation Equipment and procedures
• Search & Interrogation
• Team and Personnel Security
• Evacuation

• Passive Security
• Hostage & Arrest
• Culture & Personal Responsibility
• Security Management.

* It should be noted that this course can be extremely confronting to participants and is physically demanding.  Participants are given due warning of this and are expected to recognise this warning on application to the course.

Aims & Objectives

The aim of the course is to prepare relief workers for the realities of life on assignment so that they are able to contribute as effectively as possible.  The course provides an understanding of the international context of emergency relief work, explaining the distinctions between natural disasters and conflict induced emergencies and provides an introduction to the international humanitarian system.

Key objectives are that by the end of the course participants should:

• Have a reasonable knowledge of the humanitarian relief system and to understand the roles and relationships of organisations in the international relief system
• Understand the characteristics of natural disasters and complex emergencies
• Understand key issues in cultural, political and organisational environment of relief assistance
• Appreciate the legal and emotional issues impinging on those affected by disasters
• Assess their personal skills and identify areas for development
• Recognise teamwork skills required in relief work and practice some essentials of effective teamwork
• Apply techniques and approaches that increase individual responsibility in humanitarian work
• Be familiar with basic radio protocol and use
• Develop contacts that will help you in their work in relief.

Audience

The Essentials of Humanitarian Practice course is designed for people from all professional backgrounds and disciplines.  The course is open to all Red Register members and applicants,staff from humanitarian aid organisations and individuals currently working or with experience in relief work and for those actively seeking work in the sector.  The course provides a unique opportunity to enhance participants’ skills, gain fresh insights and share practical experience with others.

Course Outline

• International Humanitarian Charter
• Working in a Team in a Relief Operation
• Minimum Standards and Indicators
• Understanding Gender and Cross-Cultural Issues
• Role and Mandate of UN and other Humanitarian Agencies in Disasters
• Personal Health, Behaviour and Safety
• Individual Security Issues
• Introduction to Radio Communications
• Dealing with the Media
• Professional and Personal Development
• Planning for Relief Work.

Overview

The basic task of a logistics system is to deliver the appropriate supplies, in good condition, in the quantities required, and at the places and time they are needed.  Although mostly concerned with the movement of goods and equipment, relief logistics also encompasses the relocation of disaster-affected people, transfer of casualties, and the movement of relief workers.  The Humanitarian Logistics course focuses on the importance of logistics in the provision of aid to disaster survivors as well as its place in carrying out other disaster management operations.  It examines the design of logistics systems and the co-ordination required by the various agencies and actors involved in implementing the system and carrying out the operation.  The course is supported by subject matter experts from the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Joint Logistics Centre (JLC).

Aims & objectives

Key objectives are that by the end of the course participants should be able to:

• Examine the humanitarian logistic system and the activities that a logistics operation may entail
• Build learning on logistics processes
• Look at the sharing of information, tools and resources of an effective networking / collaboration between agencies.

Audience

This is a Logistics course designed for non-logisticians.  However, experienced logisticians will benefit from the broader application of logistics to conflict and refugee situations, building a knowledge bridge for deployment to humanitarian crises.  It is also for anyone involved or interested in the humanitarian field to gain an understanding of one of the critical areas in humanitarian work.

Course outline

The course contains the following training blocks:

• Logistics as it relates to Core Technical Sectors
• Control Systems
• Storage and Warehousing
• Supply and Transportation
• Distribution
• Fleet Management
• Contracts
• Staff Management
• Financial Management
• Procurement
• Security and Logistics.

Desirable criteria

This course is aimed at people who have at least two years experience in humanitarian work, especially with experience in logistics.  However it is also open to those who have other relevant experience and selection will be made on a case by case basis.  NB Places are limited.

Dates, venues and costs for these courses have yet to be confirmed.  They will be listed here once they are finalised.

Information on training courses to be run by RedR Australia are listed at website www.redr.org.au under the Training heading.

Information of training courses being run by RedR groups in other countries (India, Canada and the United Kingdom) see website www.redr.org and browse to the country heading of interest.