Training Programme "EU Aid Volunteers" Initiative

The purpose of this document is to enable Sending organisations to have a clearer view on the content of the modules taken by candidate volunteers during the mandatory pre-deployment training programme.

The training programme is composed of mandatory and optional modules, both on-line and face-to-face units, referenced in the Implemented Regulation No1244/2014.

The on-line unit delivers the main knowledge base for the module and is completed by the trainee in advance of the face- to-face unit, which will aim to support the trainee to apply the knowledge received in relevant and practical ways.

The preparatory time required for the on-line training is estimated to be up to 30 hours.

Therefore, a period of at least four weeks should be made available to the trainees in advance of the face-to-face training.

The face-to face training has a mandatory 9 days duration that can be extended with additional optional modules.

The content of this document is intended for internal use only of deploying organisations.

Mandatory modules for all groups : junior and senior professionals

Module 1: General introduction to the Union, its external relations and crisis response system (0.5 day)

The key issue for this introductory module is to get candidates interested in the broader political context and help them see themselves as part of this bigger context so as to become effective ambassadors of EU values. It is likely that in most cases participants will not immediately perceive why training on the EU institutions, and their role in crisis response and external relations, is of interest to them.

The module will also focus on skills building and development, with group work focusing on presentation skills but also on task coordination and organisation, delegation and working in teams.

One of the objectives of the training scheme is to strengthen European citizenship among the volunteers. To this end, the training will give volunteers information on the institutional context in which the EUAV scheme is to be understood. EU Aid volunteers will act as ‘EU ambassadors’ in their countries of deployment. They will receive questions about the EUAV scheme and its background, including the values, functioning and external policies of the EU and they must be prepared to answer these. The main objective of this module is therefore to give the volunteers a comprehensive overview of the context for their activities. The face-to-face training focuses on testing and improving participants’ capacity to relate their own experience to the broader institutional context and to practice their role as ‘EU ambassador’.

Main learning outcomes: understand and describe the EU and its basic functioning and principles; understand and explain EU external action, including Common Foreign and Security Policy and the crisis response system as well as the EU's comprehensive approach to external crises; understand and explain the role of the Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) in humanitarian aid and civil protection, including its field network.

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Module 2: Introduction to humanitarian action, the Union humanitarian aid policy and the EU Aid Volunteers initiative (1.5 days)

The general objective of this module is to improve participants’ understanding of humanitarian aid legal frameworks, the EU Aid volunteers’ scheme, principles and codes of conduct and standards. This will help them to prepare their mission and apply tips on how to ensure that they maximize their contribution in the field, as well as demonstrating that they have a volunteering mind-set.

The face-to-face training focuses on testing and improving participants’ capacity to relate the knowledge they have acquired from the online modules and their own experience to the EUAV initiative and future missions.

Main learning outcomes:

 The Union humanitarian aid policy and the EU Aid Volunteers initiative : Understand the EU Aid Volunteers initiative including its communication plan, how it works, and what trainees can do to stay part of it; Face their placement with realistic expectations; Act autonomously and create their own ‘volunteering experience’; Understand how their public action and behaviour can affect the image of the EU Aid Volunteer initiative and the mission they will join; and to be aware of the ‘do's and don'ts’ during deployment concerning issues such as communication with the media, publishing information on social media, participation in demonstrations, etc.  General framework of humanitarian action : Provide definitions of humanitarian aid; Name three humanitarian principles; Understand and describe the key elements of the international system of disaster risk reduction, response, and humanitarian aid and recovery; Understand and describe the roles and responsibilities of key international

stakeholders in disaster, pre- and post-disaster areas; Understand and explain the UN's central and overall coordination role in promoting a coherent international response to humanitarian crises; Know about regional mechanisms for cooperation in disaster management; Understand and explain the requirements, constraints and objectives of the various stakeholders and the challenges of coordinating stakeholders in humanitarian action, linking disaster relief and rehabilitation and building resilience; Understand changing aid and development paradigms, resilience approach, and the post-2015 international agenda.  International humanitarian law : Name the main points of I-IV Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the 1977 Additional Protocols; Understand the role of international humanitarian law (IHL) in the international humanitarian system and its applications to concrete emergency situations; Have a basic understanding of international disaster response law and international human rights law; and Know the main points of the European Consensus on humanitarian aid and the European Consensus on development aid.  Introduction to the sectors of humanitarian aid: Know and describe the specific needs of the following sectors of humanitarian aid: Food and nutrition; Health; WASH; Disaster risk reduction; Protection; Shelter; Refugees and IDPs; Livelihoods; Linking relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD); Resilience; Gender; and Conflict prevention.  Codes of conduct and standards: Know and apply Sphere core standards and protection principles; Know and apply the People in Aid Code; Know and apply the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) Standard in Accountability and Quality Management; Know and apply International the International Non-Governmental Organisations' (INGO) Accountability Charter; Know and interpret the definition of accountability according to HAP; Name the six HAP benchmarks; Name the nine principles of INGO Charter; and Understand and exercise accountability towards the final beneficiaries of humanitarian aid.

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Module 3: Managing personal safety, health and security (1.5 days)

The general objective of this module is to improve the capacity of candidate volunteers to identify possible risks to their person and to decide on the most suitable actions, act in situations where threat occurs, follow the safety procedures defined by the European Union, carry out basic first-aid acts, identify signs of gender / sexual harassment (against project staff / beneficiaries), identify signals of stress, anxiety or burnout in others and prevent these from escalating and to cope with situations of stress and danger, understand strategies to safeguard against the recurrence of identified risks after the end of the EUAV / project intervention.

The module is delivered by trainers specialised in personal safety and security. These could be persons with military experience and health professionals. Programme participants will have varying degrees of experience in first-aid at entry. While all participants are going through the training, those more experienced are encouraged to contribute to the training and to complement the work of the trainers, for example mentoring less experienced volunteers during exercises. Case studies will be used to present different hypothetical situations (using written narratives, pictures or videos), in order to discuss the risks and how these could be avoided or managed. The content of this module will complement module 6 on intercultural awareness. Adopting culturally appropriate behaviours and attitudes and taking into consideration gender roles is crucial to personal security in third countries, and in particular in countries/ regions experiencing tensions or coping with disasters.

Main learning outcomes: Know and follow security strategies and procedures; understand the importance of following organisations' safety procedures when deployed; know how to prepare before deployment; be able to identify, prevent and mitigate risks during a mission; be able to act in situations where a threat occurs; have basic first-aid skills; and have basic stress management and psychological first-aid skills.

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Module 4: Project management, Introduction Level 1 (Introduction to the lifecycle of humanitarian aid missions/ projects) for Junior professionals (1.5 days)

The main objectives of the project management modules are that participants are able to apply in practice, in the context of humanitarian aid law principle and standards, the basic aspects of the management of the life cycle of humanitarian aid mission projects.

Transversal issues such as gender/age, sensitive aid and resilience, protection of children and minors (also tackled under module 2) are reflected in this module.

Main learning outcomes: Describe the main stages of the project cycle and the specific principles applied to these in the context of humanitarian aid; Develop an outline for a basic project application; Carry out a basic needs assessment under the supervision of a more senior colleague; Draw up an implementation plan for a simple project in their area of expertise, in consultation with more senior colleagues; Develop basic tools for financial management of a project; Identify the main roles and tasks for other persons needed in the project; Develop an approach to monitoring of a simple project; and Outline an evaluation approach for a simple project.

The module will also enable participants to understand and be capable of applying the principles of humanitarian aid to the project cycle when it comes to the involvement of local communities, accountability, specific attention being paid to gender/age, sensitive aid and resilience issues, and vulnerable groups; motivate others and show leadership in dealing with others in the project, even in difficult situations).

Module 5: Project management, Advanced Level 2 (Introduction to the lifecycle of humanitarian aid missions/ projects and programmes) for Senior professionals (1.5 days)

Main learning outcomes: Apply their experience of the project cycle to the sector of humanitarian aid in which they will be active; Understand and be capable of applying the principles of humanitarian aid to the project cycle when it comes to the involvement of local communities, accountability, specific attention being paid to gender issues and vulnerable groups; Carry out needs assessment for a project in his/her area of expertise; Develop a project application; Draw up an implementation plan for a project in their area of expertise; Develop tools for financial management of a project; Identify the main roles and tasks for other persons needed in the project; Identify the briefing and guidance needs; Carry out a risk assessment for the project; Develop an approach to monitoring the project; Outline an evaluation approach for the project; Understand the key principles for successful reporting; and Identify the main requirements for financial and administrative reporting.

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Module 6: Inter-cultural awareness (and transversal issues) (1 day)

The general objective of this module is to enable the participants to adapt their behaviours and communication styles to the specific region / country where they will be deployed. They will have improved their awareness of gender sensitivity in the context of humanitarian aid, and will be able to apply it in practice.

Main learning outcomes: understand the importance of demonstrating cultural sensitivity; understand the possible negative consequences of behaving in a stereotypical manner; describe what stereotypes are and how they are conveyed; describe potential different reactions in the context of a new culture (withdrawal, resentment, feeling of superiority, over- identification, etc.); understand the main features of culture and how these are translated into practice; understand the importance of non-verbal communication; understand differences in communication styles and adjust communication; describe and apply the key principles of giving constructive feedback; be aware of the importance of developing and implementing gender-sensitive behaviour; and understand the main principles of mainstreaming.

Module 7: Scenario-based exercise (3 days)

The general objective of this module is to enable the participants to demonstrate most of the competences in the EU AV competence framework. It is designed to give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate the acquisition of learning outcomes from all compulsory modules, and in particular to combine them in a simulation of a humanitarian intervention.

This module is an experiential learning exercise where candidate volunteers can directly experience some of the situations they are likely to face during deployment. They will also be able to deal with the tasks that they will handle during deployment.

The scenario-based exercise is developed through a series of events/acts meant to develop and assess different competences. Each event is triggered through an “insertion”, which is the mean through which a certain event or incident is brought to the attention of the trainees. Each event/act requires the engagement of the team leader/deputy team leader; of other in-charge officers (e.g. public information officer); of sub-teams (if any) and of the team as whole. For each event/act there is an expected outcome to be evaluated.

The exercise lasts three days and is based on a scenario describing a country (the fictional host country, named Samavia) facing a post-earthquake and tsunami emergency. The country presents also a challenging security environment, due to the presence of separatist insurgent militias in one of its regions.

Elements from the scenario, developed for the scenario-based simulation exercise, are incorporated into the examples and exercises used throughout the mandatory modules. Trainees are expected to absorb a large amount of information about the background, history, political, economic and social setting of the situation in which the scenario-based simulation takes place.

Main learning outcomes This component is aimed at testing how the participants have acquired the key learning outcomes of the previous mandatory modules and test their ability to: Analyse the context of an imaginary humanitarian intervention and identify the main security risks for the organisation and its staff; Establish procedures to mitigate security risks; Implement security guidelines; Gather, analyse and communicate information in a rapid assessment; Coordinate with other stakeholders; Set up project logframe and identify funding for projects to facilitate recovery or to mitigate disaster risks; Work in a team, implement and evaluate a simple project plan; and Communicate project progress and outcomes to stakeholders.

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Optional Modules

Module 8: Communication and advocacy (1 day)

The general objective of this module is to improve participants’ ability to plan, implement, and critically review advocacy and communication strategies on behalf of humanitarian organisations, including the mapping of stakeholders/ beneficiaries, identification of appropriate communication channels, and the culturally sensitive framing of messages.

The key issue for this optional module will be to engage the participants, helping them to realise the importance that advocacy can have in the successful implementation of humanitarian action. Advocacy and communication are essential tools used for raising awareness and influence for humanitarian action. This module will be closely linked with the modules on inter-cultural awareness (6) and project management (4/5). Throughout the module, the trainers will refer to the case study developed for the scenario-based exercise to make the experience more concrete for the participants.

Main learning outcomes: understand the importance of ethical considerations in the context of humanitarian aid advocacy; apply cultural sensitivity to communication and advocacy; carry out a mapping of stakeholders/beneficiaries in the context of humanitarian aid and identify what communication channels are best suited to reaching them; draw up a communication strategy; and critically review communication strategies and identify improvements.

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Module 9: Psychological first aid (PFA) (1 day)

The general objective of this module is to improve participants’ understanding of the human response to disaster, emergencies, or other traumatic events and what support to provide (and what not) to the survivors, aiding them in their recovery and enhancing their resiliency. Participants will be able to better handle post-crisis / post-emergency situations and other traumatic events and provide support according to the ‘do no harm’ principle.

In any humanitarian aid context there is a tangible risk that during their deployment, volunteers may be faced with a manmade or natural emergency, in spite of all the precautions taken. A small percentage of volunteers will de facto be sent to areas where such disasters have recently occurred. In these cases, the volunteers will need to know what to do in the immediate phases after the disaster response. It will also be important that volunteers ‘do no harm’ when providing assistance, i.e. acting responsibly. Finally, it is also important for volunteers to understand and prepare for the potential effects of a disaster on themselves, as this will help them in managing their personal health and in furthering their resilience. While it is expected that professional workers will deal with survivors experiencing severe forms of trauma and distress, the Psychological First Aid (PFA) model assumes that most people will be experiencing common, expected responses to a traumatic event even though these responses may appear severe. The majority of survivors and responders will recover naturally in a reasonable amount of time with good social support and practical help.

The feedback to be provided through the module will ensure that the candidate volunteer is further guided in how to provide support in an appropriate, respectful, culturally aware, and effective manner.

EU Aid volunteers will be deployed in various regions and countries, with some representing a higher likelihood of manmade or natural disasters, because of the geographical and/or geopolitical situation. While volunteers going to regions and countries at ‘higher risk’ would get most benefit from following this module, PFA is highly relevant to all persons, not just those interested in working in humanitarian aid, as it will help them to better handle post-crisis / post-emergency situations and other traumatic events, being able to comfort people and calming them, helping them to connect to information, services and professional support, protecting them from further harm, while also staying safe themselves. The

module is linked to several others, in particular those on Inter-cultural awareness (M6) and on managing personal safety, health and security (M3).

Main learning outcomes: Identify the four domains where human emotions are expressed through the stress cycle in the aftermath of a disaster, emergency or other traumatic event; Define two different types and scope of disaster and emergency; Describe two disaster behavioural health response principles; Demonstrate competency in at least three of the PFA skills taught in the training; Identify the modalities by which PFA can be delivered; and identify the populations for which PFA is appropriate

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Module 10: Training of multipliers (training the trainer) (2 days)

The general objective of this module is that participants (who are expected to be senior professional volunteers) will be able to identify the training needs of target groups, and to develop and deliver the transfer of skills and knowledge in the humanitarian aid community and in local communities in third countries.

The face-to- face part of this module is delivered by trainers who have a background in trainer-training and related skills training (presentation, facilitation, etc). This training is a combination of knowledge and skills, with emphasis on the skills part. Specific attention is given to the facilitation of learning, how to deal with difficult situations, intercultural issues, and challenging group dynamics. This module is interactive by nature and is, being a training event itself, also the subject of reflection. The online part is mainly to provide the trainee with a training need from their hosting organisation, giving them a real life case to work on. This module will encourage the candidate's interest in and enthusiasm for sharing his/ her knowledge and skills in the context of the hosting organisation and enable him/her to do so effectively.

Main learning outcomes: Name the principles of adult learning and apply them; Name the stages of the training cycle and the key requirements for each stage; Formulate aims and learning outcomes of training courses; Know and practise a learner-centred approach to the delivery of training; Apply various training skills and techniques; Select appropriate methods, reading materials, and resources for training related to humanitarian work; and Develop tools for evaluation after the training.

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Module 11: Volunteer management (1 day)

The main objectives of the volunteer management module are that participants will know how to set up and operate volunteer management systems, including legal frameworks, recruitment, planning of volunteers’ work, supervision, support, induction and training, safety and security, and monitoring of volunteers.

Main learning outcomes: understand and implement legal frameworks for volunteer management; plan the work of local volunteers in the receiving country; organise recruitment and selection of volunteers; set up and implement systems for the regular supervision, support, and management of volunteers; plan induction and short training sessions for volunteers, as relevant; set up systems that ensure the safety and security of local volunteers; ensure that management in the local organisation has taken formal responsibility for the volunteers, with an appropriate line-management and reporting system; and create set up and monitoring systems.

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Module 12: Organisational development (2 days)

After this module participants will be able to achieve and transmit results of action and capacity building in a sustainable way with/in their hosting organisation and with the final beneficiaries, including using adequate leadership skills.

This module is developed in such a way that participants are explicitly invited to study and apply the materials and exercises to organisations of varying size and organisational complexity, in order to accommodate a range of experiences during their subsequent deployment placements. It will support them in understanding the intricacies of organisational development. Being equipped with a number of practical tools, participants will feel confident and motivated to assist their future host organizations in developing themselves to become more effective and efficient.

Main learning outcomes: name some key characteristics of capacity building; name and describe a range of different organisation development interventions; describe different elements of organisational assessment; assess a local organisation's strengths and weaknesses; be able to carry out needs assessment for capacity building; assist local organisations in developing new policies; and develop capacity indicators for monitoring organisational development.

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