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In this section, you will learn more about the following subjects:
What is eCentre training all about?
What subjects are covered in eCentre training?
Who participates in eCentre training events?
How are participants selected?
How is participation in eCentre events funded?
The eCentre’s schedule of events in 2013
How can I apply to participate in an upcoming eCentre training event?
What is eCentre training all about?
The eCentre offers training opportunities through two methods:
- Distance learning
- Organized training events
Distance learning consists of a series of distance learning modules on emergency preparedness and response. These distance learning courses have been designed to assist UNHCR staff and others in developing their skills and knowledge base in several functional areas. The courses are available completely free of charge by downloading from this website and require no prior registration.
Additionally, the eCentre organizes 10-12 training events per year (workshops, seminars or similar activities), and contributes to approximately the same number in a collaborative role. eCentre workshops typically gather a diverse group of NGO, government and UN partners in a dynamic and highly interactive setting characterized by participation, free thought and fun. Workshops employ a wide range of methodologies, emphasizing above all practical exercises and simulations that challenge participants to apply knowledge and skills that they have learned in realistic situations. A consistent theme of all courses is the importance of coordination and mutual understanding among diverse partners in achieving concerted response to complex emergencies.
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What subjects are covered in eCentre training?
Subjects covered by the eCentre include general planning for emergency response, specific contingency planning, international standards of protection, safety in the field, security risk management, media management, stress and training of trainers, among others. Recent eCentre training events have included the following:
Operating in Complex Security Environments Workshop for NGOs, Tokyo, Japan
Symposium on Humanitarian Coordination in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand
The emergency management workshop for NGO partners in the Asia-Pacific region, Manila, Philippines
Security Risk Management Workshop, Tokyo, Japan
Basics in International Humanitarian Response, Hua Hin, Thailand
Safety in the Field: Operating in Complex Security Environments, Hua Hin, Thailand
UNHCR-OSCE High Level Forum on Border Management and Mass Influxes, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Bangkok Consultations: Asia-Pacific Emergency Management Platform, Bangkok, Thailand
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Who participates in eCentre training events?
eCentre participants normally include a dynamic mix of participants coming from NGOs, government agencies and regional institutions, and international organizations.
NGO partners include UNHCR Implementing partners, UNHCR Operational partners, other NGOs responding to humanitarian emergencies, and NGOs engaged in long-term relief, rehabilitation and development. Because of the eCentre’s strong capacity-building focus, NGO partners normally constitute approximately 60% of the participation of training events.
Government agencies and regional institutions include representatives of: government agencies or organizations that interact directly with populations of concern to UNHCR, such as counterpart refugee agencies, ministry of interior and police/law enforcement agencies in refugee-populated areas; other government agencies and organizations that respond to emergencies, including disaster management authorities and members of the armed forces; and other government agencies and organizations concerned with emergency response issues, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of partner governments and representatives of regional institutions such as SAARC and ASEAN.
International Organizations include UNHCR staff, but equally staff of sister UN agencies and of other institutions.
As the eCentre’s mission is to improve emergency preparedness and response, it normally only accepts nominations from members of organizations involved in relevant activities. Additionally, Because its project scope is defined as the Asia-Pacific region, priority is given to participants coming from this region. All participants must be committed to humanitarian principles and ideals. If you are interested in participating in an eCentre event but are not sure whether you are eligible, please contact the eCentre at jpntocen@unhcr.org.
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The eCentre receives candidates for training from three sources: recommendations from UNHCR country offices, applicants via the eCentre website, and designates of the eCentre or a partnering institution.
- For most regional workshops, UNHCR country offices are contacted beforehand and encouraged to nominate qualified participants of all categories (e.g., UN, NGO and government partners). Recommendations of the country offices are weighted heavily as they are best placed to know the needs of their regions and which participants can gain the most value from the workshop.
- For certain workshops the eCentre further invites interested candidates to apply directly via the website. Note, however, that not all workshops are open.
- Finally, in cases where the workshop goals require a specific target audience, the eCentre sometimes invites participants directly, often in close collaboration with a partnering institution.
In all cases, the eCentre screens candidates prior to final selection.
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The eCentre’s schedule of events in 2013
Please click here to find out eCentre's training schedule in 2013.
How is participation in eCentre events funded?
Participants in eCentre events are normally either funded by the eCentre or partially funded. In all cases, the eCentre covers costs of workshop tuition (i.e., cost of content development, venue rental, facilitation, provision of expert resource persons, exercise equipment and personnel, etc) and workshop materials (workshop book and CD, other handouts, guidebooks and other materials).
Funding Policy
The eCentre seeks to maximize the impact of limited resources to enable the participation of the most qualified candidates consistent with the eCentre’s project scope, and to ensure that funding–like aid—is prioritized based on need.
Generally, eCentre Participants are either eCentre-funded or partially funded. eCentre-funded participants. For eCentre-funded participants, the eCentre assumes costs of all of the following:
• Workshop tuition (i.e., cost of content development, venue rental, facilitation, provision of expert resource persons, exercise equipment and personnel, etc);
• Workshop materials (workshop book and CD, other handouts, guidebooks and other materials);
• Transportation to and from the workshop location;
• Lodging and meals at the workshop location;
• Coffee, tea and snacks during workshop breaks.
•A partial daily subsistence allowance (DSA)
eCentre-funded participants normally include the following categories of applicants:
o Non-governmental organization (NGO) staff members working in the Asia-Pacific region are normally funded by the eCentre.
o UNHCR staff members working in the Asia-Pacific Region are normally funded by the eCentre. The exception is in the case of country- or region-specific trainings-on demand requested by a UNHCR country programme, in which case partial funding of UNHCR staff normally applies.
o Staff of partner governments and regional institutions in the Asia-Pacific region, with the exception of those from developed countries, are normally funded by the eCentre. For partially funded participants, the eCentre covers the following costs:
• Workshop tuition (i.e., cost of content development, venue, facilitation, provision of expert resource persons, exercise equipment and personnel, etc);
• Workshop materials (workshop book and CD, other handouts, guidebooks and other materials);
• Coffee, tea and snacks during workshop breaks.
Partially funded participants normally include the following categories of applicants: o Participants coming from outside the Asia-Pacific region are normally partially funded;
o Staff members of sister UN agencies, programmes and funds (i.e., other than UNHCR) are normally partially funded;
o Staff members of government agencies of developed countries are normally self-funded.
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Notes:
eCentre's Project Scope
The eCentre's mission is to improve emergency preparedness and response in the Asia-Pacific region by strengthening the operational capacity of relevant government, non-governmental and international organizations in the region through targeted learning activities. Accordingly, it normally only accepts nominations from members of governmental, non-governmental and international (and intergovernmental) organizations. In all events, participants must be involved in emergency or development-related activities and show a demonstrated commitment to humanitarian principles and ideals.
If you are interested in participating in an eCentre event but are not sure whether you are eligible, please contact the eCentre at jpntocen@unhcr.org.
Asia-Pacific Region
The eCentre uses as its definition of the Asia-Pacific Region that of UNHCR’s Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific (RBAP), which comprises the following countries having UNHCR representation: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, and Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-leste, Thailand, Vietnam, Afghanistan,
Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Singapore, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The various Pacific island nations are also part of the region as defined by UNHCR .
“Developed Countries”
Although there is no universally agreed upon definition of what constitutes a “developed country,” countries in the Asia-Pacific region that have traditionally been regarded as developed for the eCentre’s purposes, and whose governments have sponsored their participants to attend eCentre workshops on a partially funded basis, include Australia, Japan, Korea and New Zealand. In all events, consideration of funding should always be consistent with the principle that limited resources should be prioritized based on need.
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