Operational Plan for the Staff Capacity Building Strategy FY08 and beyond

© 2002, CARE USA. All rights reserved.

Operational Plan for the Staff Capacity Building Strategy

FY08 and beyond


Operationalizing a staff capacity building plan

The following presentation incorporates feedback from the recent March ERWG meeting, and outlines a clear set of recommendations and plan for FY08 and beyond to move forward the staff capacity building strategy

It focuses on the four tiers to the capacity building approach: 1) skill building; 2) applying and sharing knowledge; 3) Developing strong systems and practices; 4) Strengthening external partnerships.


Lessons Learned

Training alone is not sufficient to strengthen capacity Equal investments need to be made to apply and share

knowledge and skill Investing in local capacity and preparedness is key (EPP) to

developing a strong organizational foundation to capacity building

Organizational systems need to be in place to ensure that the right systems, incentives and rewards to retain and develop staff are in place

We cannot do this work alone and need to partner with other agencies

The following slide on the capacity building framework and strategy is the guiding approach to strengthening emergency capacity


Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

Acq

uis

itio

n

(Skill

Bu

ild

ing

)

Ap

plicati

on

(A

pp

lyin

g

Kn

ow

led

ge)

Sh

ari

ng

K

now

led

ge

Certification Levels

Organizational Systems / Structures

Staff Capacity Building Framework

Goal:

Strengthen staff skill,

knowledge, and practices to

enhance effectiveness in

emergency response and preparedness


1. Outcomes of a Skill Building Approach

Staff in local and international emergency response teams have the required skills and knowledge in the core program and program support areas for effective emergency preparedness and response

Qualified and prepared staff from country offices, regions, and lead members are available for global emergency response


Recommendations for a skill building approach

Adopt a 3 tier curriculum to skill building (see following slide) Design two new CARE specific simulations focused on:

CARE Values and Protocols Leadership in Emergency

Partner with SC-UK to implement a comprehensive operations program that will be accredited

Target participants to include: Select CO senior staff (CD, ACD, senior staff involved in

response) and select regional staff Select CO ERT members, especially the Emergency Response

Coordinators Select HQ staff who support emergencies or are part of the

deployable global roster


Level I: Foundation

•Knowledge of CARE protocols and values

•Humanitarian Principles & Standards

•Knowledge of EPP

•Basic Safety & Security

•Knowledge of CARE

Level II: Emergency Operations

Level III: Specialization

• Leadership inan emergency

•Comprehensive Emergency Operations

•Advanced Safety & Security

•Underpinnings of an EPP

Advanced: •Logistics

•Watsan

•Shelter

•Food

•Accountability

•EPP

•Psychosocial

Basic Core Knowledge Operational Knowledge Technical/Specialist Knowledge

Competency Framework for Emergency Response and Preparedness

Behavioral Competencies Developed Across All Levelsdecision-making under pressure; coping with rapid change; managing stress; managing teams in complex environments; self-awareness of behavior; ability to work in diverse multicultural settings and teams


Curriculum Related to the Target Audience

Target Audience Leadership(CO Senior Staff/RD)

CO ERT CERT CI-HQ

Goal Strengthen Leadership skills in emergency response and preparedness

Build county office response capacity

Build a strong global response team

Strengthen knowledge and understanding of HQ staff involved in emergencies

Basic Core Knowledge (minimum requirements for all staff involved in emergencies)

CARE Foundation Simulation (to be designed) (1 day)

CARE’s Approach to EPP (on-line – almost completed)

CARE’s safety & Security (available on-line)

CARE’s approach to ending poverty (available on-line)


Target Audience Leadership(CO SeniorStaff/RD)

CO ERT CERT CI-HQ

Operational Knowledge of Emergency Preparedness and Response

CARE leadership in Emergencies (to be designed) (1/2-1 day)

Senior staff involved

Save-UK Foundations & On-line Operations Program (currently being piloted) (10 days + on-line over 2-3 months)

Especially CO-Emergency Response Coordinator

Tier II[1] –Select staff who show potential

Select HQ staff who show potential to be team leads

Save-UK Advanced Final Simulation (currently being piloted) (10 days)

Especially CO Emergency Response Coordinator

Tier I&II - Team Leader & select staff

Select HQ staff who show potential to be team leads

Focal Point Training on Safety & Security (almost in completion)

CO ERT members responsible for security

CERT staff involved with security

Emergency Response Team EPP Training (on-line)

All CO ERT

EPP Training of Facilitators Senior staff involved in EPP

CO ERT Coordinators &

[1] Tier I are CERT staff with strong emergency experience; Tier II are staff with little to no emergency experience but have significant potential.


Target Audience Leadership(CO Senior

Staff/ RD)

CO ERT CERT CI-HQ

Specialization in Technical Areas (priority areas consistent with CI Strategy are listed below). These trainings will be external programs through Universities (i.e PhreeWay network) or institutions and will be identified in consultation with CI technical experts..

Logistics –i.e Fritz on-line CO ERTs can participate in specialized training in key areas depending on level of existing expertise

CERT staff can participate in specialized training in key areas depending on levels of expertise

Watsan – i.e Red R

Shelter – i.e Red R

Food – i.e Tufts University

Accountability (i.e Good Enough Guide Training)


What would the CARE simulation programs include?

CARE Foundation Simulations will be a 1 day simulation delivered in country offices or in regions to:

Test and identify gaps in the EPP plan, and how to address them

Educate staff on the decision-making process and system and when and how to respond

Increase knowledge of CARE’s humanitarian mandate, policies, protocols and standards

Increase knowledge of humanitarian standards

Assess staff strengths and areas of improvement and capability to be on a global roster

CARE Leadership in Emergencies Simulation will be targeted at senior staff and may be a half day- one day integrated within existing programs or regional meetings to:

Educate senior staff on their role and responsibility in an emergency response

Build leadership and management skills Increase knowledge of CARE’s

humanitarian mandate, policies, protocols and standards

Increase knowledge of humanitarian standards

These programs will be adaptable to different contexts


What does the SC-UK Foundation and Operations accredited model include?

Humanitarian principles and legal instruments;

Civilian-Military Relations Emergency programming

frameworks Standards for Humanitarian

Response including Sphere Emergency assessments Safety & Security

Logistics Leadership & Teamwork Emotional Resilience Protection/Exploitation Vulnerability & Targeting Media & Communications Finance & Grant

Management Health Education People Issues in

Emergencies

Foundation + Advanced ( 20 days face to face + 4 week on-line)


2) Outcomes for Sharing & Application of Knowledge

Increase the exposure of CO ERTs to international emergency operations through exchange visits between countries within a region or across regions

Increase staff commitment to apply their knowledge Increase the exchange of real time knowledge across regions on

diverse topics of applicability in humanitarian operations Enhance access to relevant humanitarian action and disaster risk

reduction education and state of the art practices Inform regional strategic dialogues to integrate DRR and

humanitarian action more robustly Strengthen accountability and quality assurance processes and

systems


Recommendation for Practical Mechanisms for Sharing & Application of Knowledge

Coaching – create a network of coaches who can be a resource for staff shortly after training or EPP plans are completed

Conduct a 360 evaluation before & after training and develop a coaching plan for staff who receive training.

Require staff to sign an agreement to commit to CARE for at least 1 year after completing a comprehensive training program.

Strengthen the ERT Global Learning Community by using technology to connect staff globally (see next slide)

Work with regions to create opportunities for exchange through TDYs, ELOs, cross-visits to share and apply learning


Recommendation for Practical Mechanisms for Sharing & Application of Knowledge

Create on-going learning assignments (i.e encourage testing and use of ECB tools)

Document best practices and promote a learning exchange

Conduct research with external institutions such as PhreeWay Universities especially on DRR

Develop position papers on topics of interest such as how to promote quality assurance, accountability, DRR - share them widely during regional meetings

Expand the standing team to promote accountability principles

Strengthen reference groups on accountability and DRR.


3) Development of stronger organizational systems

The following systems are vital for the success of the staff capacity building strategy and need to be closely linked to any intervention:

CEM Manual & Protocol development -- Significant progress has been made on the CEM standards and protocols development and these need to be linked to any skill building or knowledge sharing intervention

CERT improvements have also been underway and need to be reinforced by skill building and knowledge sharing.

Strong orientation system will need to be in place to complement staff capacity building

Strong reward and recognition mechanisms need to be in place to give staff the time and resources to be part of capacity building (i.e integration into job descriptions; Performance Management process)


4) Development of Strong Partnerships

Partnerships allow us to: build on pioneering work rather than reinvent

the wheel apply tools and practices based on field

research, realities and lessons leverage collective resources and expertise

for wider impact standardize state of the art approaches that

can be recognized across the sector


PHREE-WAY a global action learning network working together to expand education and

strengthen capacity for DRR and humanitarian action towards sustainable development and human security.

This partnership has allowed CARE to develop relationships with northern and southern academic institutions

Currently, World Vision, CARE, University of Washington, Tufts University, Monterrey Tech, GANN-NET and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center have formed as an advisory group

This partnership seeks to: Increase capacity building resources globally – the network has the

potential to be a resource to implement training for CARE globally Improve joint-research– i.e DRR research, early warning, trends

analysis, geographic information systems which will increase staff knowledge of state of the art practices

Increase understanding of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action across regional and global levels – co-organize humanitarian forums which can increase staff access to best practices and research


•CARE has partnered with six NGOs on four themes: Staff Capacity; Accountability and Impact Measurement; Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR); and Information Technology.

•As a result of this effort:• Interagency collaboration has been strengthened• Links and relationships with leading networks (ALNAP, HAP, SPHERE, People In Aid) have been expanded•Tools and publications, studies, good practices – have been developed (i.e the Good Enough Guide on Accountability, Building Trust in Teams tools, SC-UK Program; Metrics Project; Lessons Learned from DRR pilots)

•More work needs to be done to expose staff to these resources and to integrate best practices and recommendations into CARE policy and practice


Action Plans for FY08 that involve all of CI

Skill Building CI working group is formed to finalize

the capacity building plan and to develop a simulations design

Design the CARE Foundations module & pilot test in 2-3 COs (fine tune as protocols/CEM are finalized)

Continue to test and pilot 1 Operations course with SC-UK and ECB partners (identify CARE mentors and facilitators)

Pilot test 1-2 external trainings on Shelter, Watsan, Food, Logistics.

Conduct TOT on EPP and the Foundation simulation

Disseminate EPP on-line trainings Conduct Good Enough Guide TOT

and integrate into existing training plans

Apply/Share Knowledge Test 2-3 new distance learning

tools with the global learning community and test on-line EPP programs

2-3 TDYs/cross visits are tested wiith regions

Develop an coaching plan 1-2 On-the job learning activities

are identified & tested 1-2 Phreeway networks conduct

best practice research to inform CARE’s work.

1-2 best practice documents inform regional meetings

Discussion paper on quality assurance by EHAU and CEG completed and distributed


Action Plan for FY09 & beyond

Skill Building Design the leadership in

Emergencies program and integrate into existing programs

Integrate the Foundations simulation into existing trainings and programs

In partnership with SC-UK expand the operations program and conduct twice a year

Expand the available technical programs

Evaluate the impact of all training programs

Finalize training guides and modules Additional on-line modules are

designed on technical components

Apply/Share Knowledge Implement a coaching program

and 360 evaluation tool Continue on-line technology

knowledge sharing mechanisms Implement a formal plan to

promote on-going learning through TDYs, ELOs

Assess staff retention who receive training

Strengthen research on state of the art topics & publish widely

Document best practices and how ECB tools are mainstreamed

Expand standing team mechanism Expand learning networks and

reference groups Develop and implement a quality

assurance plan


Action Plans for FY08 and onwards

Organizational Systems and Practices

Continue protocol development and finalization of the CEM manual

Continue strengthening the CERT roster and linking this process with the capacity building plan

Develop an orientation process using the CARE Academy

Identify reward and incentive structures

Partnerships Continue mainstreaming and

integrating ECB best practices across CI

Strengthen partnerships with ECB partners

Strengthen relationships with Phree-Way

Strengthen relationships with external partners in Accountability and DRR

Strengthen relationships with sectoral experts


Immediate Next Steps?

Need a team of 3-4 CI members who can serve as advisors to the staff capacity building strategy and provide input

Need all CI members to identify key areas in this plan that they can contribute towards

Need feedback on existing efforts or initiatives in CI that complement this plan

Operational Plan for the Staff Capacity Building Strategy FY08 and beyond

Documents

Transcript of Operational Plan for the Staff Capacity Building Strategy FY08 and beyond