What’s the Challenge? Research methodology and scope What is a Profession? Key values, knowledge & skills Problems with present trainings All Photos: IRIN or RedR

Professionalising the Humanitarian Sector 1. Little universally recognised qualifications 2. Diminishing individual professional integrity 3. Lack of systematic and applied learning 4. Unsystematic personal accountability 5. Shallow basis for state and employer trust

Research Methodology Literature review Professionalisation Certification Humanitarian Aid Quality programmes Focus groups Individual interviews On-Line surveys

Research Methodology ContactedFinalised Literature reviews33 Focus groups 15 (222 people, 6 countries) 222 Individuals22 English Survey>4,0001,400 French Survey228 Spanish Survey8 University Survey1620

Demographics of the on-line respondents P 4&5

Geography of the on-line respondents P 4&5

What did we find? Professionalism Core values, knowledge and skills Present training opportunities

Why bother? Life & death service Humanitarian workers need to be more professional because their actions and decisions affect so many lives, sometimes in very dramatic ways

Why bother? Values matter A more professional practice would be more relevant, more effective and more efficient in keeping the human dimension at the centre of its practice

Why bother? Quality matters It will improve the quality of people who are applying and securing jobs, which ultimately will improve the humanitarian response.

Criteria for a modern profession 1. Monopoly on specialised knowledge 2. Knowledge used in an altruistic fashion 3. Therefore autonomy to self regulate 4. Responsibility to expand the Knowledge 5. Responsive to the users of the profession P 6

Who is a professional humanitarian worker? Professional Humanitarian Workers Nutritionists Accountants Drivers Wat/San Logistics Public Health Workers Enumerators P 12

Professional Feedback System Academia Knowledge repository Formal qualifications Research Primary Clients Receive services Feedback on services The profession Field practice Testing knowledge Self regulation

Professional Competencies Experience Knowledge Skills Values P 7

Professionalisation – Yes or No? P 21

10% dissenters 1. Too complex 2. Entrench Northern exclusivity 3. Foster a mercenary attitude 4. At heart humanitarianism is an act of political solidarity so a professional model is inappropriate

Why bother with a profession? P 30

Key values for all humanitarian workers P 30

Key knowledge for all humanitarian workers P 31

Key skills for all humanitarian workers P 32

Why we need certificates “I first of all want to know, do they have the practical skills, then, do they have the technical skills and lastly, do they have a Masters?” “After many of the INGOs left, the local staff were left with nothing – no references, no certification, no jobs. How can they prove they worked in the response?”

Most wanted competency certificate P 39

Individual Professionalism Certified, guaranteed Safeguards integrity Promotes competence Supports evidence- based learning Personally accountable to the clients