1. Accountability to primary clients

2. Steering donors

3. Build trust with Host Gov’s

4. Workers’ protection & development

5. Unifying the core of humanitarianism

6. Build future of profession

Professionalising the Humanitarian Sector

1. What are the problems to address (why bother)

2. Existing environment

3. Scope: demographics, sector- breadth

4. Content: values, skills, knowledge, experience

5. Certification system

6. Cost structure

7. Professional supporting structures

8. Relationship to funders, clients and profession

Existing environment

• Consortia such as, Nairobi IAWG, ALNAP

• NGOs, INGOs, Learning Providers - Bioforce, Mango, People in Aid, Bond, Intrac

• Masters degrees

• Other course providers

• In-house systems

Scope

Demographics (1,000s) Issues

• One system or many?

• Sociology of aid workers?

• For what jobs and sectors are people recruited?

• Career paths?

• Competencies of present workers?

Source: ALNAP 2009, forthcoming

Oxfam-GB 4,600 emp’ 203 (4.4% are HP)

5 Criteria for a modern profession

• Monopoly on specialized knowledge

• Knowledge used in an altruistic fashion

• Therefore autonomy to self regulate

• Responsibility to expand the Knowledge

• Responsive to the users of the profession

Source: Cruess, Richard L, Sylvia R Cruess, and Sharon E Johnston. "Professionalism: an ideal to be sustained. " The Lancet.  356.9224 (July 8, 2000): 156. 

Professions and Social Movements

License

Laws

Credentials

Rules

Standards

Guidelines Interest experience affiliations association movement

Regulation

SocialMovement

Layering professions

Core Content / Competencies

Source: ALNAP 2009, forthcoming

• Values

• Skills

• Knowledge

• Experience

LogisticsNutrition

Nursing 2009

1. Analytic/assessment

2. Policy development/ program planning

3. Communication skills

4. Cultural Competency skills

5. Community dimensions of practice skills

6. Basic Public health sciences skills

7. Financial Planning and management skills

8. Leadership and systems thinking skills

Certification system

In the UK

• Higher education

• Continuing education

• Vocational training

• Professional accreditation

National > International

• Generic national model

Ethiopia?

Pakistan?

USA?

• ISO/IEC 17024:2003

• International Personnel Certification Association

Cost structure

• Who Pays? The State? The Employer The professional?

• Viable cost structure

Professional supporting structures

• Professional association

• Business association

• Academic association

• Research & Publishing

System?

Course Content

Training Institute

Trainer Acreditation

ContentAccreditation

Focus Group

Dan’s course

Key questions

1. What should be the core competencies?

2. Would you have used a certification system?

3. What’s the argument against

Survey pop’: Experience

1,223 respondents1,020 completed

Survey pop’: Origin

Why Bother?

91.3%, yes to professionalism

Curriculum: Values

Curriculum: Knowledge

Curriculum: Skills

What else?