Coordinator's Guide

Contents:
Introduction
Workshop objectives
Training materials
Target audience
Profile of the facilitating team
Adapting the design and timing
Pre-workshop assignment
Evaluation
Model agenda

Introduction

The humanitarian principles training provides the trainee with a framework in which to analyse the dilemmas that frequently arise in complex emergencies from a child protection point of view, and to take decisions on appropriate action.

Workshop objectives

The four main objectives of the workshop are to enable participants:

• to adopt a child rights-based approach to programming in complex emergencies;
• to analyse the characteristics of complex emergencies in order to better understand the causes of conflict and the dilemma that arise;
• to learn about international legal and ethical standards for the provision of humanitarian assistance and protection of children in armed conflicts (without knowing the standards, it is difficult to argue or use "rights terminology";
• to identify dilemmas and principles at stake for humanitarian practitioners and design practical strategies for the protection of the rights of the child.

The workshop design assumes that participants already have knowledge and experience of UNICEF’s work in emergencies, as well as UNICEF’s human rights-based programming approach. The concern here is the integration of a child rights protection approach to complex emergencies.

An additional concern is to equip participants with a (legal) framework for analysis of the situation, and to raise controversial and complex issues for discussion.

Training materials

The training materials consist of:

• this co-ordinator’s guide;
• a facilitator’s guide with details for preparing and running each session, and handouts and readings for distribution to participants;
• a diskette containing sets of slide presentations prepared on PowerPoint for each session;
• copies on paper of each PowerPoint slide for use as traditional overhead transparencies, in case there is no video projector available for the PowerPoint presentation;
• a video entitled "The Code of Conduct".

We recommend that the facilitator(s) carefully read well before their presentation the sections in the facilitator’s guide on materials and preparation required for each session.

Target audience

The materials are primarily designed for regional directors, representatives, programme and communication officers who already have training and experience in UNICEF’s work in emergencies. Many workshop activities are based on actual country situations and case studies. Therefore, participants with prior knowledge and experience will find it easier to relate the workshop content to their own work.

The training is also useful for local counterparts and NGOs as well as donor representatives in the country where the training is taking place.

Participants should be familiar with UNICEF’s guidelines for human rights-based programming approach (CF/EXD/1998-04 of 21 April 1998). If they have not read these guidelines, they should complete the pre-workshop assignment described below.

Model letters of invitation to participants are included in "How to organize and run training workshops" (CF/DoP/TRAIN/1987-001; Rev.1). Copies of this handbook are available from UNICEF New York, Division of Human Resources, Organizational Learning and Development Section.

Profile of the facilitating team

The facilitating team should consist of two or three people with sound knowledge of both the international law governing armed conflicts and the challenges that typically arise in complex emergencies. The person(s) who are legal experts, should have good knowledge of not only humanitarian law, but also human rights law (including child rights) and how it applies to conflict situations. The person(s) who can lead discussions on challenges that aid organizations currently are facing, should have first-hand experience of complex emergencies and working with non-state entities.

The materials are designed in a way that allows the facilitator to choose between making presentations (in which case s/he should be an expert on the subject matter), or having participants read information that will provide them with the knowledge they need to complete the exercises.

In identifying the training team, as much as possible include those who have followed a "training of trainers" course or those with training skills. Those with training skills will often serve you better than those with detailed content expertise, but no training experience.

The facilitator(s) should have at least basic knowledge of PowerPoint. The presentations are prepared using this software. Though hard copies of each slide are included, PowerPoint presentations are more likely to keep participants’ attention focused because of the animation and colour effects.

Adapting the design and timing

This workshop is designed to be held over one week - five working days. To fully cover the content, expecting significant learning to take place, the entire five days are required. There is some flexible time scheduled in at the end of day five to allow for additional discussion time, or to end a bit early the last day.

Nevertheless, it is likely that the design may have to be adapted due to time constraints. Depending on such time constraints and specific needs of the participants, the facilitator(s) can present selected sessions only. For example, the Opening Session in conjunction with Session 8 can form a presentation on how UNICEF is implementing its policy on a child rights-based approach to programming. Session 8 can also be used as a stand-alone presentation. However, facilitators should be aware that the exercise at the end of Session 8 is rather demanding and requires that the trainee has a solid human rights background (either from having gone through the entire training package, or from having obtained the knowledge from elsewhere). In both cases described, participants should complete the pre-workshop assignment explained in further detail in the section pre-workshop assignment below.

A suggested schedule for a five-day workshop is included on page 5 of this coordinator’s guide.

In making any adaptations, it is useful to refer to "How to organize and run training workshops" (CF/DoP/TRAIN/1987-001; Rev.1), in particular the section on design of workshops.

Pre-workshop assignment

If the workshop is cut down to a presentation combining the Opening Session and Session 8, or only Session 8, participants should be requested to read CF/EXD/1998-04 of 21 April 1998, "A human rights approach to UNICEF programming for children and women: What it is, and some changes it will bring". This CF is included as Reading 0.1. In that case, the facilitator should make sure that the participants receive a copy of the reading before the beginning of the workshop.

It is important to ask the participants to read the policy keeping in mind that complex emergencies and situations of instability normally present a range of dilemmas for the implementation of this policy that may not occur elsewhere. The facilitator should keep in mind that in the session discussing the reading, s/he may wish to take another five minutes to discuss how well emergencies are covered and provided for in the policy document.

Evaluation

For daily and final evaluations, the facilitator(s) can either follow a "traditional" format as described in Evaluating group training events organized for UNICEF staff (CF/DoP/TRAIN/1990-009), or s/he can distribute index cards and ask participants to write on them five "ups" and five "downs" of the day, the content/materials covered, or the workshop as a whole.

A "traditional" model evaluation form for this workshop follows the suggested schedule included in this coordinator’s guide.