Joint Workshop on DRR Lessons Learned in Vanuatu 2012
Workshop Objectives & Intended Outcomes
Objectives:
1. To compile a list of DRR activities conducted at the national, provincial, island, community and school levels in 2012
2. To identify and share lessons learned in DRR at the national, provincial, island, community and school levels in 2012
3. To identify key recommendations and some basic action plans for 2013, based on these lessons learned
4. To start the process of developing a set of common objectives and indicators for DRR in Vanuatu, a key part of the DRR/DM National Action Plan (2006-2016)
5. To strengthen cooperation and coordination among DRR stakeholders at all levels in Vanuatu
Intended outcomes:
List of DRR activities conducted at the national, provincial, island, community and school levels in 2012
Lessons learned in DRR this year identified and shared among participating agencies
List of recommendations for 2013 based on lessons learned
Action plan for four priority recommendations
Next steps in the process of developing a set of common objectives and indicators for DRR in Vanuatu defined
NB. Due to time constraints, we did not do the activities associated with the fourth objective (and associated outcome). However, as this objective - starting the process of developing a set of common objectives and indicators for DRR in Vanuatu - emerged as a recommendation and received very clear support in the evaluation survey, a workshop on this is planned for the first quarter of 2013.
Workshop Outcomes
The following work was done in breakout groups, facilitated by Shadrack Welegtabit (NDMO), Ingvar Anda (CARE), Jerome Faucet (French Red Cross) and Catherine Harris (ADRA). This section of the report has been compiled based on notes taken by Jennifer Worthington (VHT), Florence Kuali-Iautu (CARE), Patrick Shing (UNICEF) and Anna Bryan (CARE).
List of main DRR activities conducted at the national, provincial, community and school levels in 2012
List of main DRR activities conducted at the national, provincial, community and school levels in 2012
National level
Coordination
VMGD:
Developed the NAB for governance and coordination on DRR and CCA activity
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NDMO:
Worked on roles and responsibilities for CDCs with Care, Red Cross and PCIDRR
IEC material development standards and validation process
Developed the community assessment and rapid assessment forms
Working with cluster groups
Development of Torba, Tafea and Shefa Provincial disaster committees
Red Cross:
Pre-positioned NFIs in Vanuatu
Collaboration with NDMO and agencies on CDC work
VHT:
Supporting VHT members to work with the NDMO on:
- Supporting IEC material Development
- Cluster formation & activity planning
- CDC formation and structure
- Mapping agency activity
- Mapping Agency NFIs prepositioned in Vanuatu
- TAG membership at provincial level.
- Assessment form development
- Simulation activities
- Support training for Cluster lead and co-lead members and agencies
ADRA:
Pre-positioned NFIs
Policy
VMGD:
National policy for integrated DRR and CC
IEC endorsement process
VMGD Act consolation
NDMO:
Cyclone and Tsunami Support plan
SOPs for the NEOC
Red Cross:
IDRL – Recommendations for Vanuatu & Gender in DRR
IEC & Education
VMGD:
CC and ENSO Awareness
Climate & severe weather awareness
Climate research publications
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Enso and Early warning
Enso and climate change talk back
Agriculture and climate change workshop
Agro-meteorology bulletins
Season rainfall outlook
Tropical cyclone outlook and brochures
Geohazards materials development
Geohazard information dissemination
NAB portal – Information website
NDMO:
Cyclone awareness via radio programs
National simulation exercise
Short code system development
ADRA:
TOT in WASH
Research
VMGD:
CC and ENSO impact assessment
Earthquake detection system improvement
Volcano real time monitoring systems
Geohazard research
SI/ Vanuatu hazard monitoring systems
Developing regional seismic network
Melanesian strategic plan for Melanesian volcano network
VHT:
Reviews of emergency response – TC Jasmine
Provincial level
Set up of Provincial Disaster Committees - Torba, Tafea and Shefa.
Capacity building and training of PDCs. Components on roles and responsibilities. Training of provincial staff undertaken by government as well as other organisations.
Standardised some disaster assessment forms and monitoring and evaluation tools.
Supporting province in continuity of services, supplies and service delivery (education, health supplies, infrastructure).
CARE, RC, World Vision- working closely with the provincial government through setting up CDCs
Area secretaries involved in setting up CDCs
Presence of VHT members at the provincial level.
IEC materials on DRR
Agencies dispatched prepositioned supplies for use in emergencies
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Community level
Traditional knowledge collections on DRR and CCA
General DRR awareness
- CDC roles and responsibilities
- Hazard awareness
- IEC materials
- Alert and early warning system kits
- Copying mechanisms
Setting up of the CDCs
VCA – Vulnerability Capacity Assessment
Community Disaster Action Plans
Basic first aid training + tools distribution
Community Response Plans
Simulation exercises
School level
CARITAS:
DRM program for kindergartens and early primary age 4-10 (Sols & Vanuatu). Started in Vanuatu in March 2012. 29 teachers trained – in March teachers brought together reviewed methodology. TOT.
Save the Children:
SAVE develops curriculum materials. Now piloting teaching materials. Piloted in 10 primary schools. Now working in 27 primary schools.
Assisting schools to develop disaster management plan - Efate, Ambae & Banks.
CARE:
Works with 11 schools on 4 islands:
- Schools chosen for proximity to communities (integrated approach: school + community)
- Set up of school safety committees
- School risk assessment with risk mapping
- School response plans
- Basic first aid training and kits for teachers
- EWS kit for schools + training on maintenance
- Drill exercises
- International DRR day activities
French Embassy:
Donor – has a Social Development Fund. Mostly funds materials and education, e.g. books, cyclone roof ‘strapping’, etc.
Other actors:
Ministry of Education; AusAID; NZAID; JAICA; European Commission. Rotary Club works with schools. Some Chinese groups have worked with schools. Wan Smol Bag also involved in DRR education.
There is a small donors committee each month – mapping to ensure working
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together and not overlapping with funding.
Lessons Learned in DRR in 2012
Lessons learned in DRR in 2012 National level
Coordination
Coordination and collaboration (between the VMGD, NDMO and agencies) works well for CDC development, cluster development, IEC materials development, training events and joint planning.
NAB portal supports information sharing between agencies
Policy
NAB a good steering body for policy coordination –an improvement over previous fragmented activities
IEC & Education
Radio talkbacks and programs have been a good communication method for ENSO, Climate change and DRR to the communities in Vanuatu. (But the challenge is radio coverage).
IEC materials sometimes in one language only and not all developed for communities of low literacy
International DRR day and public awareness activities increased among the NDMO, VMGD and agencies
Peace Corps have community level access and a contact point for community based education that could be utilized.
Need to strengthen networks for disaster warnings and alerts at community level as well as test community based IEC materials.
Research
Vanuatu has the capacity to do research in VMGD but need more time & HR.
Remote communities and rural areas have a lot of information on traditional indicators of weather and climate and this is held mainly by older adults in the community.
Provincial level
Communication channels and links between CDCs, PDCs and NDMO need to be strengthened. As part of this process, need to work more closely with the area council secretaries.
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Provincial disaster committees need more training
More work needed on mainstreaming DRR at sub-national levels
Need to build awareness of provincial structures and activities at the community level, particularly in the outer islands.
Lack of pre-prepositioned supplies at the provincial level
Need to share/disemminate IEC materials at the provincial level
Community level
Traditional Knowledge Collection
Our approach to traditional knowledge collection was good – important to follow community procedures. Challenge is that each island has their own traditional knowledge.
We need to cross check with VKS on TK information before collecting any information from the field
General DRR awareness
Our awareness activities work well because they serve to remind the youth about traditional knowledge
Already have knowledge about how to prepare and respond, but people need to know what causes each hazard.
There is some knowledge about CDC roles and responsibilities in the communities, but need more awareness, need to be more empowered and need to know that they are part of NDMO structure.
Community members living in small settlements outside the main community usually do not really know their roles and responsibilities.
Setting up of CDCs
It is a good thing that CDCs are elected, but need to establish criteria and schedules for elections.
Commitment of CDCs has been a challenge.
Different approaches to CDC composition: CARE includes chiefs in every CDC, Red Cross doesn’t necessarily.
Vulnerability and Capacity Assesment (VCA)
VCA is a good tool – can help community members to identify their risk and safe areas, the different diseases and hazards happening in their communities and when.
VCA can be an empowering tool
Challenge: getting participation can be difficult.
Community Disaster Action Plan
In many communities implementation is minimal
Basic first aid training + tools distribution
Good because it answers to real and immediate needs (everyday, not just in times of emergency)
Issue with sustainability: communities coming back to agency asking for refilling of kits
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Challenge: many people in communities do not understand bislama, which makes training difficult.
Community Response Plan
Approach of listing responsibilities for each group (eg. CDC members, women, men, youth) has been a success: it’s empowering and increases participation.
Challenge: low literacy levels. CARE has found it helpful to use visuals/symbols in their community response plans.
Simulation Exercise
Very good and important: learning by doing helps people understand their own roles and responsibilities during a disaster.
School level
Teachers know and understand that there is a risk – may not be a broad understanding but they do know it and have their own resilience. This should be built on – teachers and students need to ‘understand’ the risk, not just be told by us.
Monitoring and evaluation is critical (but difficult) – a lot of the schools are very isolated and remote. They need support and to be reminded of the message.
We should work towards a national monitoring and evaluation system.
The community needs to see that the teacher is supported by the agency (as often as possible – visible presence)
When working in schools, it is difficult to include everyone (e.g. gender power balance).
Important to tie in school, household and community messages - when children attend school they do not leave behind the behaviour/lessons learned in the household.
Can’t do activities in isolation – e.g. can’t just deliver the DVD. It also needs follow-up or classes with teachers. Developing DRR skills and confidence in teachers is essential.
Activity based learning is enjoyable (for students and teachers) and effective.
Schools already have a very full schedule so planning DRR activities into their timetables can cause challenges.
While there are commitments from the Ministry of Education, there is limited funding from them at this stage, and flow of funding through MoE is slow. School Disaster Management Program doesn’t receive any funds from the MoE.
Logistics is challenging - Difficult to get equipment out to islands.
Staff turnover creates challenges – new teachers may not carry the work forward.
We could work with Educational Maintenance Officers - provide them with training to identify DRR weaknesses.
Recognition that everyone needs to be involved in disaster planning (women, children, elderly, disabled etc.).
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Recommendations for 2013 based on lessons learned
Recommendations for 2013 based on lessons learned National level
Coordination
VMGD & NDMO to be set clear roles and responsibilities.
Further joint planning required in DRR and disaster response
Strengthening clusters to apply DRR and CCA initiatives & be part of TOT training
Support for better linking of PDCs with CDCs and the NDMO
Further refinement of SOPS and assessment processes for disasters
Agencies to use the NAB portal for information and event planning
Policy
NAB to standardise key information on DRR & CCA
NAB to finalise policies and also formal ways of working between the NDMO & VMGD
NAB needs to be part of the material design and oversee IEC endorsement process & DRR M&E framework.
IEC & Education
Develop a range of media – radio, DVD and other forms for IEC materials
Improve radio coverage to support radio IEC programs
More awareness needed in the provinces of how people can access information
More IEC materials need to be made in appropriate language & for communities that are of low literacy & mixed age level and needs (e.g. children, elderly, youth & special needs)
IEC materials to be made for CDC members to explain their role and tasks
Further training and support required for CDC members on the hazards and risks of disasters to support their role in disaster awareness
Some evaluation required on the IEC materials to test effectiveness and ensure they are targeted to community needs – e.g. songs etc. After this process, the materials can then be endorsed by the NAB for reproduction.
Peace Corps to be part of the IEC working group in 2013. Should also look at working more closely with faith based organisations/groups.
Training needs identification and capacity building needs to be planned.
DRR TOT training to be developed for agency members, as well as community level TOT.
Research
More human resources and a research and development unit (at VMGD) needed to support these activities.
Provincial level
Set up of PDCs
Establish PDCs in the remaining provinces (three remaining)
Training for PDCs
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Links between NGOs and the province (including area secretaries) to be strengthened. As part of this, NGOs having activities at the provincial level need to inform the province.
Establish regular reporting from PDCs to NDMO
Have provincial disaster coordinators
Ensure that remote communities (such as Tafea outer islands) benefit from the new provincial structures, possibly by including area council spokesperson within PDC.
NDMO needs to work with provinces to assist them to develop disaster plans.
Other
Establishment and mapping of pre-positioned supplies at the provincial level to support delivery of supplies
Ensure nationally approved IEC materials (adapted to the local context) are available at the provincial level.
Telecommunication linkage (and other communication channels?) between the national and sub-national levels need to be improved.
Look onto ‘phone towers on wheels’ (used in Australia) for communication in emergencies
Need to continue with developing and standardizing assessment tools, with training mechanisms in place to support their use.
Community level
General DRR awareness
All NGOs and government agencies need to have proper planning with each Area Secretary and community leader before making any visits to the field. This is to avoid having clashes with other activities on at the same time.
Need to strengthen links with the Area Secretaries
Role of government and NGOs: many communities are used to always seeing NGOs, and may ask where the government is.
CDCs
Need to train CDCs on their roles and responsibilities and also to have roles and responsibilities translated into simple Bislama.
CDCs need capacity building, especially training on project management.
CDCs need to know how to use and maintain equipments agencies provide to them – sustainability issue.
NDMO to help in giving and/or finding funds to help with the maintenance of VHF radios in communities. VHF radios are better than mobile networks. To have training for stakeholders on how to operate, install and maintain VHF radios.
NDMO and NGOs need to have regular visits and refresher trainings for CDCs in communities, to ensure CDCs are working effectively, and to facilitate the replication of successful models.
NDMO should look into giving some incentives to CDC members
Vulnerability and Capacity Assesment (VCA)
We need to agree on tools (minimum standards)
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Community Disaster Action Plan
We must be clearer about which activities are implemented once (eg. building evacuation centre) and which activities should be done regularly (eg. simulation)
Basic first aid training & tools distribution
We need to develop a strategy for replenishment of BFA kits. Part of this should be encouraging community members to utilise local resources, where available.
For basic first aid training, we need to use proper translators for people to really understand.
Community Response Plan
Need to train CDCs to the point where they are confident to do their own simulation exercises for different hazards
CRPs alone are not enough - we need to have annual simulation for all hazards for validation of CRP.
CRPs for cyclone are good, but more work needs to be done on planning for volcano and earthquake/tsunami (especially on alert system), and the CRP template needs to be improved accordingly.
Simulation Exercise
We need standardization of scenarios and processes for simulations.
We’ve done well on cyclone simulation exercises, but more work needs to be done on simulations for hazards like earthquake/tsunami and volcano.
School level
Closer cooperation between MoE and other DRR stakeholders
Continue to support inclusion of DRR in national school curriculum development
Include DRR in the teacher-training curriculum
Conduct mapping of current activities, education service providers, stakeholders, and implementing agencies.
Better coordination between agencies: avoiding working in same geographic areas, better coordination on logistics, and more sharing of tools and resources.
- Better utilization of NAB weekly updates about which agencies are travelling where
We need to take a longer term view: working towards standardized disaster preparedness/resilience infrastructure.
We need to extend our activities to early childhood education
Strengthen education cluster and work more effectively through this group.
Provide training to Provincial Educational Maintenance Officers to identify DRR weaknesses.
Encourage MoE to appoint a provincial focal point for DRR.
Extend focus beyond school, to parents and community. Some organizations already doing this, but room to improve.
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Consider extending programming to vocational schools
More consideration of how to include non-school children in our programming so they don’t miss out.
Basic first aid training for teachers and principal should be included in all school DRR programs (CARE and Red Cross doing this already).
Action Plans for 2013
NATIONAL LEVEL ACTION PLAN
Key Activities
(What do we need to do?)
Action Points (How do we do it? Write down each step)
Resources (who will provide the resources needed?
Responsibility (who will take the lead?)
Timeframe (by when?)
Support links between CDC-PDC -NMDO
SOP development and refinement
NDMO
2013
Joint planning on CCA & DRR
VHT members
Agencies / NDMO/ VMGD
2013
Strengthen clusters to apply CCA & DRR
VHT members
Cluster lead and co-lead agencies
2013
Assessment processes and formats to be refined
VHT members
NDMO
2013
Support for the NAB
IEC material to be developed for community level
Agencies / NGOS
Agencies / NGOS
Ongoing
Use the NAB for information and IEC approval
Agencies / NGOS
Ongoing
Clarify roles & responsibilities between NDMO & VMGD in the NAB
NDMO & VMGD
Standardise information on DRR & CCA
NDMO & VMGD
NDMO & VMGD
Ongoing
Clarify the IEC approval and membership processes
NDMO & VMGD
NDMO & VMGD
NAB launch and information campaign
NDMO & VMGD
M&E Framework for DRR
Workshop to start the process of developing a common M&E framework
CARE
NDMO & CARE
First quarter of 2013
Annual DRR lessons learnt workshops
Simulations at provincial & national level
TOT frameworks to be developed
Agencies / NGOS
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PROVINCIAL LEVEL ACTION PLAN
Priority recommendation: To set up PDCs in the three remaining provinces
Goal: To set up PDCs in Malampa, Penama & Sanma
Lead agency: Provincial Councils (Secretary Generals with support from NDMO)
Supporting agencies: NDMO; Provincial council and area secretaries; NGOs.
Key Activities
(What do we need to do?)
Action Points (How do we do it? Write down each step)
Resources (who will provide the resources needed?)
Responsibility (who will take the lead?)
Timeframe (by when?)
Set up PDCs in Malampa, Penama & Sanma
Organise meeting with TAG (Technical Advisory Group) for endorsement
NDMO + VHT
NDMO
Feb 2013
Extended role for TAG (in ToR) as Provincial Disaster Committee members. Include other agencies on the ground to be part of the PDC.
Provincial departments, NGOs, faith based organizations.
NDMO
Feb 2013
Lessons learnt exercise/ workshop on existing PDCs for future planning
NDMO + VHT
NDMO
March 2013
Establish new PDCs based on replication of existing PDCs + lessons learned exercise
NDMO + VHT
NDMO
March 2013
Capacity building through specialised training for new PDCs (and existing PDCs)
NDMO + VHT
NDMO + VHT
April 2013
COMMUNITY LEVEL ACTION PLAN
Priority recommendation: Need to train CDCs on their roles and responsibilities
Goal: To clarify and increase awareness of the roles and responsibilities of CDCs
Participating agencies: VRC, FRC, SCA, CARE & NDMO
Key Activities
(What do we need to do?)
Action Points (How do we do it? Write down each step)
Resources (who will provide the resources needed?
Responsibility (who will take the lead?)
Timeframe (by when?)
Increase awareness activities on the roles and
Every organisation to use the standardised CDC R&Rs
NGOs/Red Cross/NAB
NDMO
Ongoing
To develop awareness tools for CDCs on R&Rs (as well as basic knowledge on general hazards)
NGOs/Red Cross
NAB & NDMO
October 2013
To develop SOPs for effective CDCs
NGOs/Red
NDMO
June 2013
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responsibilities of CDCs
(calendar of activities with the communities)
Cross
Awareness campaign (NDMO through field activities with other NGOs/VRC)
NGOs/Red Cross
NDMO
December 2013
SCHOOL LEVEL ACTION PLAN
Priority recommendation: Form a map of educational service providers, actors & DRR activities that are being undertaken in schools in Vanuatu.
Goal: Increase understanding, coordination and ability to work with existing governance structures/systems.
Lead agency: Coordinator within MoE (Virana Lini?)
Supporting agencies: Education cluster (including CARE, Red Cross, Save the Children, NDMO)
Key Activities
(What do we need to do?)
Action Points (How do we do it? Write down each step)
Resources (who will provide the resources needed?
Responsibility (who will take the lead?)
Timeframe (by when?)
Form a map of educational service providers, actors & DRR activities that are being undertaken in schools in Vanuatu.
Arrange a meeting with the Director of Education Services and the education cluster.
TBC
Virana Lini from MoE (TBC)
Jan/Feb 2013
Talk about this recommendation at next education cluster meeting.
Next education cluster meeting
Discuss this recommendation with NDMO & VHT members
Jan/Feb 2013
Assign one person to take the lead.
Jan/Feb 2013
Decide on methodology and process of information collection
Feb/March 2013
Appoint resources
Feb/March 2013
Workshop Evaluation
The vast majority of participants rated the workshop as very valuable. Notably, every participant indicated that they would be interested in taking part in a similar joint DRR lessons learned workshop at the end of 2013, lending support to the national level group’s recommendation of establishing annual joint DRR lessons learned workshops.
The survey data also indicated that (with one exception) all participants felt it would be extremely valuable or very valuable to work together next year to develop a set of common objectives and indicators for DRR in Vanuatu. This was another recommendation from the national level group, which will be followed up with a workshop in the first quarter of 2013.
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Most participants found the first session on lessons learned and recommendations the most valuable. Many participants liked the workshop structure with its emphasis on small group work, commenting that it enabled broad participation and the sharing of the different views and priorities of various stakeholders. Although some participants valued the fact that a lot of material was covered in a short time, most suggestions for improvement centered on timing: managing time better and allocating more time. Many participants recommended allocating two days, three days, or one week for this kind of workshop.
Other suggestions included:
Incorporating cluster groupings into the workshop structure
Including other stakeholders – more local NGOs, the Ministry of Education and other government bodies, representatives from the provinces and from active CDCs, and a representative from the disability sector.
Holding next year’s joint lessons learned workshop earlier in the year