Humanitarian Practice and Programme Management Training Course

Participants can analyse crisis conditions, affected populations and factors shaping response options.

• Crisis timeline maps shocks, displacement patterns and seasonal pressure points
• Stakeholder mapping identifies authorities, armed actors, communities and service providers
• Conflict sensitivity analysis identifies dividers, connectors and programme interaction risks
• Protection risk analysis examines threats, vulnerabilities and coping capacities
• Political economy questions test incentives, power relations and access constraints
• Scenario planning develops plausible changes affecting needs and programme feasibility

Participants can plan and conduct an ethical rapid needs assessment using multiple evidence sources.

• Assessment objectives define decisions, affected groups and priority information gaps
• Secondary data review compares population figures, services, hazards and trends
• Key informant interview guides obtain structured operational and community evidence
• Focus group discussions identify differentiated needs, preferences and barriers
• Sampling choices balance representativeness, speed, access and available resources
• Triangulation compares findings from communities, authorities, observations and datasets
• Informed consent, confidentiality and do-no-harm safeguards guide data collection

Participants can convert assessment findings into prioritised needs and feasible response options.

• Severity analysis ranks needs using scale, severity, urgency and affected groups
• Problem trees distinguish immediate causes, underlying causes and consequences
• Response analysis compares cash, in-kind, services, advocacy and capacity support
• Market assessment findings determine feasibility of cash and voucher assistance
• Targeting criteria combine vulnerability, severity, exclusion risks and verification methods
• Gap analysis compares needs against existing assistance, capacity and planned coverage

Participants can formulate a coherent humanitarian programme strategy based on evidence and assumptions.

• Theory of change links activities, outputs, outcomes and intended change
• Strategic objectives state measurable priorities for defined crisis-affected populations
• Assumptions identify external conditions required for programme results
• Response options are screened against appropriateness, feasibility, cost and risk
• Geographic prioritisation balances severity, access, duplication and organisational capacity
• Exit and transition considerations identify handover, recovery and sustainability pathways

Participants can construct a logical framework that supports clear management and reporting.

• Logical framework hierarchy distinguishes goal, outcome, output and activity statements
• SMART indicators specify population, measure, timeframe and intended direction
• Indicator reference sheets define formulas, sources, frequency and responsibilities
• Means of verification test whether evidence is feasible and credible
• Baseline planning establishes starting values before major programme delivery
• Assumption statements distinguish manageable risks from external dependencies

Participants can prepare an integrated implementation plan for humanitarian programme delivery.

• Work breakdown structures organise deliverables, activities and accountable roles
• Gantt charts sequence tasks, dependencies, milestones and decision points
• RACI matrices clarify responsibility, accountability, consultation and information flows
• Critical path analysis identifies activities that threaten delivery deadlines
• Start-up checklists cover staffing, premises, approvals, procurement and community entry
• Weekly management routines track progress, bottlenecks, decisions and follow-up actions

Participants can prepare and control a realistic humanitarian programme budget.

• Activity-based budgets link resource requirements directly to planned outputs
• Unit-cost calculations test quantities, rates, assumptions and value for money
• Direct and indirect costs allocated according to donor eligibility rules
• Budget narratives explain calculation bases, procurement choices and cost drivers
• Burn-rate analysis compares actual expenditure against approved budget and workplan
• Forecasting methods identify funding gaps, underspends and required budget revisions

Participants can plan supplies and apply basic procurement and asset-control requirements.

• Supply plans match specifications, quantities, delivery dates and storage capacity
• Procurement thresholds determine quotation, tender and approval requirements
• Technical specifications define quality, packaging, safety and acceptance standards
• Bid evaluation matrices document price, quality, delivery and supplier capacity
• Goods receipt procedures verify quantities, condition, documentation and discrepancies
• Asset registers record custody, location, condition, transfer and disposal decisions

Participants can integrate protection, inclusion and safeguarding measures into programme design.

• Protection mainstreaming addresses safety, dignity, access, participation and accountability
• Age, gender and diversity analysis identifies barriers facing distinct groups
• Disability inclusion applies accessible communication, venues and assistance arrangements
• Child safeguarding procedures define reporting, referral and staff conduct requirements
• PSEA measures address prevention, reporting channels and survivor-centred response
• Referral pathways map specialised services, consent procedures and confidentiality limits

Participants can establish meaningful participation, information-sharing and complaints arrangements.

• Community engagement plans identify stakeholders, messages, channels and communication timing
• Participation methods include separate consultations for excluded or at-risk groups
• Information provision explains selection criteria, entitlements, schedules and complaint routes
• Complaints mechanisms define intake, triage, investigation, referral and closure procedures
• Feedback analysis categorises recurring concerns, service failures and protection alerts
• Closing feedback loops communicates actions taken and reasons for decisions

Participants can design a monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning system for a response.

• MEAL plans align indicators, methods, schedules, responsibilities and reporting products
• Output monitoring tracks reach, timeliness, quality and participant disaggregation
• Post-distribution monitoring assesses use, satisfaction, protection concerns and unintended effects
• Data quality assessments test validity, reliability, precision, integrity and timeliness
• After-action reviews capture decisions, evidence, lessons and assigned improvements
• Adaptive management triggers specify evidence thresholds requiring programme adjustments

Participants can manage programme risks while protecting staff, communities and operational access.

• Risk registers score likelihood, impact, controls, owners and review dates
• Acceptance, avoidance, reduction and transfer guide risk treatment choices
• Security risk assessments identify threats, exposure, vulnerabilities and mitigation measures
• Access mapping analyses checkpoints, permissions, gatekeepers and movement restrictions
• Contingency plans specify triggers, actions, resources and communication responsibilities
• Incident reporting procedures preserve facts, confidentiality, escalation and follow-up

Participants can manage coordination duties and establish accountable implementing partnerships.

• Coordination meeting preparation presents gaps, coverage, constraints and requested decisions
• Who-does-what-where mapping identifies duplication, gaps and referral opportunities
• Partner capacity assessments examine governance, technical skills, finance and safeguarding
• Partnership agreements define scope, budgets, reporting, compliance and dispute resolution
• Due diligence checks verify legal status, sanctions exposure and control systems
• Localisation commitments support equitable decision-making, resourcing and capacity exchange

Participants can prepare credible donor reports and manage responsible programme closeout.

• Donor compliance matrices track contractual deliverables, deadlines and approval conditions
• Narrative reports connect activities, results, challenges, adaptations and evidence
• Variance explanations address budget changes, implementation delays and corrective action
• Document retention schedules organise contracts, invoices, lists, reports and approvals
• Closeout plans address final reporting, assets, commitments, records and staff transitions
• Lessons-learned reports distinguish findings, recommendations, ownership and follow-up dates

Participants can build, review and present a complete humanitarian programme design and management package.

• Assessment findings synthesised into priority needs, affected groups and evidence gaps
• Response strategy justifies targeting, modality, geographic focus and delivery approach
• Logical framework presents outcomes, outputs, indicators, assumptions and verification sources
• Costed budget and workplan demonstrate feasible sequencing and resource requirements
• Risk, safeguarding and accountability arrangements address foreseeable implementation threats
• Peer review tests coherence against Sphere, CHS, feasibility and donor requirements
• Programme presentation defends design choices, adaptations and management priorities