Preparedness & Response Effectiveness Programme Course

OCHA is only as strong as its people. OCHA staff and partners deploying to humanitarian crises require the right skills, knowledge, and attitudes to perform. To leverage existing synergies and increase efficiency, the Response Support Branch (RSB) has developed the Preparedness and Response Effectiveness Programme (PREP) – with five goals:

1. To positively influence other organizations: Influence other organizations to harmonize response mechanisms with internationally-agreed guidance.
2. To expand and cultivate networks: Expand networks of mutually supportive emergency managers/organizations at various levels.
3. To sensitize national actors: Sensitize national disaster management authorities on humanitarian action and the (OCHA) services that they can avail/request to support capacity-development, including strengthening response preparedness measures.
4. To develop staff with a balance of expertise and versatility: Develop Humanitarian Affairs Officers (HAO) for OCHA’s rapid response mechanisms that possess technical expertise, whilst also being versatile all-rounders.
5. To establish a global peer network of humanitarian aid workers