India: Sphere Standards in Humanitarian Practice

This five-day course will build a good understanding on the rationale, structure and content of the SPHERE Standards, and provide clear understanding on the minimum standards, indicators and key actions on WASH, Food Security and Nutrition, Health, and Shelter and Settlement. This training course aims to enhance the participants’ capacity to understand and apply the Sphere Standards as a tool for humanitarian and DRR decision making and project implementation. The course provides a sound orientation on technical standards and links it to the principles, core humanitarian standards and legal frameworks that constitute the basis of Sphere Standards. The training would also deal with the practicalities of implementing Sphere Standards in humanitarian response.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the philosophy and approach of the Sphere Project.Understand and describe the relationship between Sphere, Humanitarian Charter and Rights Based Programming.
2. Identify the linkages and difference between (Sphere) Minimum Standards, Key Indicators, Key Actions and Guidance Notes.
3. Know the Core Humanitarian Standards and explain their linkages with technical interventions at all stages of project cycle.
4. Learn to apply Sphere in assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian response programme.
5. Use the Standards and indicators (from each technical chapter) for an effective humanitarian response.

Course Content

Introduction to Humanitarian Emergency; Sphere Project and Sphere Handbook; Humanitarian Charter; Protection Principles; and the Core Humanitarian Standard. Focus on familiarizing the participants with ethical, legal and practical basis for humanitarian response.

Familiarization with the four essential domains in Sphere: The four sectors which will be detailed to the participants are: WASH; Food Security & Nutrition; Shelter and Settlements; and Health. The participants will also be trained on how to apply Sphere Standards in their professional practice.

Understanding concepts such as Sphere Assessment & Analysis; Sphere and the Programme Cycle; Sphere Cash & Markets; and Sphere, Quality and Accountability.

Introduction to Sphere and the Complementary Standards. The learnings from the training will further be strengthened through Simulation Exercises and open discussion between the participants.

Course Methodology

The emphasis during this four-day training will be on active learning of the participants through participatory methods. The methodology used in this training will comprise of following:

• Group Exercises
• Case Studies and Scenarios
• Demonstrations
• Focus Group Discussions
• Experiential Learning and Exchange among the Participants

Who can apply?

The course is ideal for people interested to professionally engage in the humanitarian sector and disaster risk reduction. Individuals with core technical skills will benefit by learning the ways for applying their expertise into unique humanitarian contexts using the standards and its components. Individuals and agency staff working in the sector would also benefit from learning skills of applying Sphere Standards in practice to inform their ongoing and emergent projects and to plan Sphere training in their organizations.

Who will conduct this course?

RedR India’s standard Sphere Training Module will be used in the training by our experienced trainers. The module has been developed, like all other training modules of RedR India, keeping global standards and practices in consideration.

The training will be conducted by trainers with vast experience in relief work and the humanitarian sector where they have applied Sphere in practice.

To register for this course, please click participant registration form. Your registration will be confirmed on receipt of the completed form and course fee. Write to us at training@redrindia.org if you encounter any difficulty in filling the online form or for any queries regarding the training.