Competency-based standardized training for humanitarian providers: making humanitarian assistance a professional discipline

Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013 Aug;7(4):369-72. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2013.10.

Abstract

The number of people employed in international humanitarian care is growing at a yearly rate of 6%. The demand for better coordination, accountability, and training has led to a need for standardized humanitarian training programs for providers. Training should be based on comprehensive core competencies that providers must demonstrate in addition to their skill-specific competencies. This report explores the competencies specific to humanitarian training that are practice- and application-oriented, teachable, and measurable. Competency-based, standardized programs will be used to select humanitarian workers deployed in future crises and to guide the professionalization of this discipline.

MeSH terms

  • Altruism*
  • Competency-Based Education / standards*
  • Disasters
  • Humans
  • Relief Work*
  • United States