2012 Management Training for Humanitarian Workers

CNS Ydrefors, Sweden

By Dada Unmantrananda


Sara Wolf, one of the trainers, has an M.A. in Urban Education from Harvard and was selected as New York City Teacher of the Year by her students and peers in 2010.

AMURT & AMURTEL held their first Global Participatory Humanitarian Program Manager Training at the College of Neohumanist Studies on Gurukul’s Sweden campus, from June 7 – 30. The training consisted of an introduction to humanitarian frameworks and 3 competency-based modules focused on the management of projects, finances, and people. The program was modeled after the internationally recognized Bio-Force Institute training methodology, and was adapted to include the AMURT & AMURTEL philosophy and field experiences, as well as key Participatory Learning & Action tools and principles. The training modules were designed to enhance the Quality and Accountability of humanitarian programs, through the use of simulation, group work, case studies, role-plays, and practical tools and exercises.
The participants included representatives from Scandinavia, West Africa, North America and South East Asia. Besides accomplished field coordinators there were also 5 young budding humanitarians from the International School of Social Service. That mix of experience and idealism brought about a unique participatory experience that afforded the older participants a chance to mentor and guide the younger. They say the best way to learn a subject is to do it and teach it. The classes featured technical and standards based curriculum and were interspersed throughout with alternate brain hemisphere activities such as music, games and arts.

AMURT & AMURTEL plans to evolve this unique training format and plans are in motion to offer sessions in East Kenya, South East Asia and in Europe in 2013.


Several sessions were held in groups. Here one of the trainers, Demeter Russafov, goes through some of the finer points of the logical framework with the senior project managers.

The training made ample use of both brain hemispheres. Here an important concept of stakeholder analysis is taught using strings and scarves.