This two-day workshop will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to adequately respond to disasters and post-conflict humanitarian emergencies. It focuses on implementing the core global standards described in the Sphere Handbook, which collects evidence-based universal minimum standards in four life-saving sectors: water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion; food security and nutrition; shelter, settlement and non-food items; and health action. Based on moral and legal principles spelled out in the Humanitarian Charter, it also defines Protection Principles and Core Standards which inform any humanitarian response in a spirit of quality and accountability to the affected populations.

In preparing for the workshop, participants learn the basics of needs assessment and apply them to selected humanitarian emergences to include conflict, post-conflict and disaster situations. The first day of the workshop will cover the Sphere standards and how they are implemented, especially in the humanitarian emergencies studied prior to the course. The workshop will pay special attention to the protection of vulnerable populations during a disaster or conflict. Activities include practical team-based exercises, as well as interacting with real-world humanitarian emergency professionals, including Skype sessions with professionals in the field. The day concludes with assigning a team exercise on implementing Sphere standards to be presented and evaluated on the second day of the workshop. The final portion of the workshop is a personal reflection and assessment.

The workshop is designed for those participants who desire to work in humanitarian emergencies and disaster response. Sphere training is considered an essential qualification for such work. Given the continuing occurrence of conflicts, armed violence and natural disasters, opportunities for work in this field abound. The workshop provides critical skills for this work.

The lead instructor, Molly Lineberger, worked in Haiti for two and a half years with Catholic Relief Services, before, during and after the earthquake of January 2010. She has extensive experience in the application of the Sphere standards, to include training humanitarian staff in these standards. Professor Ed Laurance has extensive knowledge and experience working on armed violence and its humanitarian effects.