About This Course
Disasters — whether natural, technological, or human-induced — continue to cause devastating loss of life, livelihoods, and infrastructure across the globe. Yet a significant proportion of disaster-related harm is preventable through timely, well-designed education and community preparedness. The gap between what communities know and what they need to know in order to survive and recover is a training and capacity-building challenge — one that skilled educators, humanitarian professionals, and organisational leaders are uniquely positioned to address.
This five-day course, Education and Training for Disaster Resilience, provides a structured, practical pathway for professionals who design, deliver, or commission learning interventions in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and emergency preparedness contexts. Drawing on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, global best practices in adult education, and real-world case studies from disaster-affected regions, participants develop both the conceptual grounding and the hands-on skills to create impactful resilience training.
The programme covers the full training cycle — from needs assessment and curriculum design to facilitation techniques and programme evaluation — while addressing the unique challenges of training diverse, often vulnerable audiences under resource-constrained conditions. Special attention is given to community-based disaster education, institutional capacity building, simulation-based learning, and the integration of digital tools into disaster preparedness curricula.
TrainingComplex designed this course for practitioners who believe that knowledge is one of the most powerful tools in disaster risk reduction. By the end of the programme, participants will leave with a portfolio of practical resources, a network of like-minded professionals, and the confidence to lead resilience education initiatives that save lives and strengthen communities.
Who Should Attend
- Disaster risk reduction (DRR) officers and coordinators
- Humanitarian programme managers and field officers
- Emergency management professionals in government and civil society
- Curriculum designers and instructional designers working in humanitarian contexts
- Trainers and facilitators in NGOs, UN agencies, and public institutions
- Community resilience officers and community development practitioners
- Public health educators involved in emergency preparedness
- Civil protection officers and national disaster management authority staff
- School administrators and educators seeking to embed disaster preparedness in curricula
- Capacity-building and learning managers in multilateral organisations
Learning Objectives
- Explain the global disaster risk landscape and the role of education in reducing vulnerability and building resilience
- Apply the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and other international policy frameworks to the design of training programmes
- Conduct a training needs assessment (TNA) specific to disaster resilience contexts
- Design competency-based curricula and learning materials for diverse disaster preparedness audiences
- Select and apply appropriate facilitation methodologies — including simulations, drills, and community exercises — for resilience training
- Develop risk communication strategies that are culturally sensitive, inclusive, and evidence-based
- Integrate digital and low-technology tools into disaster preparedness education programmes
- Evaluate the effectiveness of disaster resilience training using appropriate monitoring and evaluation frameworks
- Develop institutional training plans that embed a sustained culture of preparedness within organisations and communities
- Apply trauma-informed and inclusive approaches when training vulnerable or at-risk populations
Course Modules
Module 1: Understanding Disaster Risk: Concepts, Frameworks, and the Education Imperative
- Global disaster risk trends and the human and economic cost of preventable disasters
- Key concepts: hazard, vulnerability, exposure, capacity, and resilience
- The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 and its Priority 1 on understanding disaster risk
- Role of education and public awareness in reducing disaster losses
- Linkages between DRR, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development
- Overview of key international actors, platforms, and knowledge resources in disaster resilience education
Module 2: Theories of Adult Learning Applied to Disaster Preparedness
- Principles of andragogy and experiential learning in humanitarian training contexts
- How fear, stress, and trauma affect learning readiness in disaster-affected populations
- Motivation, relevance, and urgency as drivers of engagement in preparedness education
- Cultural, linguistic, and literacy considerations for inclusive disaster training
- Learning styles and the importance of multi-modal instructional design
- Building psychological safety in training rooms that address difficult disaster themes
Module 3: Training Needs Assessment for Disaster Resilience Programmes
- Purpose and scope of a training needs assessment (TNA) in a DRR context
- Data collection methods: surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and after-action reviews
- Mapping existing knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to disaster risk among target groups
- Prioritising training needs against resources, timelines, and programme objectives
- Engaging community members, local authorities, and partners in participatory TNA processes
- Documenting and presenting TNA findings to guide curriculum design decisions
Module 4: Curriculum Design for Disaster Resilience: From Competencies to Content
- Defining learning outcomes and competencies for disaster preparedness and response training
- Competency frameworks for DRR: IFRC, OCHA, and national disaster management standards
- Backward design: starting with desired outcomes and sequencing content accordingly
- Selecting and organising topic content across a resilience-focused training programme
- Developing session plans, facilitator guides, and participant workbooks
- Ensuring curriculum coherence across modules, days, and multi-level training cascades
Module 5: Facilitation Methods for High-Impact Disaster Preparedness Training
- Active facilitation versus passive instruction: why it matters in DRR training
- Simulation exercises and tabletop drills: design, facilitation, and debrief techniques
- Community mapping as a participatory learning tool for hazard and vulnerability analysis
- Role plays and scenario walkthroughs for practising emergency decision-making
- Group problem-solving activities that build team cohesion under simulated pressure
- Managing difficult dynamics in training rooms: denial, fatalism, grief, and inter-agency tension
Module 6: Community-Based Disaster Education: Reaching Grassroots Audiences
- Principles of community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) and their training implications
- Designing disaster preparedness education for low-literacy and rural communities
- Peer educator and community volunteer models: selection, training, and support
- Using local knowledge, indigenous practices, and storytelling in resilience education
- School-based disaster preparedness programmes: design principles and implementation challenges
- Sustaining community learning beyond the initial training event
Module 7: Risk Communication: Designing Messages That Drive Preparedness Action
- Principles of effective risk communication in disaster contexts
- Understanding audience perceptions of risk, trust, and authority
- Crafting clear, actionable preparedness messages for diverse population groups
- Visual communication tools: infographics, pictorials, and hazard maps for non-technical audiences
- Media engagement and social media strategies for disaster preparedness awareness campaigns
- Evaluating the reach and behaviour-change impact of risk communication efforts
Module 8: Digital Tools and Technology-Enhanced Disaster Resilience Learning
- Overview of digital platforms used in disaster preparedness training: e-learning, webinars, and mobile learning
- Community mapping tools (OpenStreetMap, Kobo Toolbox) as participatory learning and assessment instruments
- Early warning system literacy: training communities to understand and act on alerts
- Designing low-bandwidth and offline-compatible digital learning materials for field deployment
- Gamification and interactive simulations for disaster scenario-based online learning
- Data privacy, digital security, and ethical considerations in technology-supported disaster training
Module 9: Inclusive and Trauma-Informed Approaches in Disaster Training
- Understanding intersectionality: how gender, age, disability, and ethnicity shape disaster vulnerability and training needs
- Designing training that actively includes women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities
- Psychosocial first aid (PFA) principles and their relevance for trainers working with affected communities
- Recognising and responding to vicarious trauma among humanitarian trainers and educators
- Safe spaces and do-no-harm principles in disaster resilience education design
- Building community agency and self-efficacy through empowerment-focused training approaches
Module 10: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement of Resilience Training
- Monitoring and evaluation frameworks applicable to disaster preparedness training programmes
- Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation adapted for humanitarian learning contexts
- Designing pre- and post-training assessments to measure knowledge and attitude change
- Collecting and using participant feedback to improve facilitation and content quality
- Long-term impact assessment: tracking behaviour change and community preparedness outcomes
- Developing an institutional training plan with built-in review cycles and learning loops
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least two years of experience in humanitarian action, emergency management, community development, or a related field. A basic familiarity with training, facilitation, or adult learning concepts is beneficial but not mandatory. No advanced academic qualifications are required to attend this course.
Training Methodology
- Scenario-based exercises using realistic disaster contexts (floods, earthquakes, public health emergencies) to anchor all curriculum design decisions in authentic field conditions
- Group curriculum-design workshops where participants draft and peer-review actual lesson plans, session guides, and participant materials for disaster resilience audiences
- Case study analysis of successful and failed community disaster education programmes drawn from East Africa, South Asia, and the Pacific
- Simulated training sessions in which participants facilitate short resilience modules and receive structured feedback from peers and the course facilitator
- Risk communication role plays exploring how to convey complex hazard information to low-literacy, multilingual, or traumatised audiences
- Hands-on use of digital tools including community mapping platforms, e-learning authoring tools, and mobile-based early warning applications
- Reflective journalling and after-action reviews at the close of each day to consolidate learning and surface emerging questions
- Small-group development of an institutional disaster resilience training plan, presented on the final day as a capstone deliverable
Organisational Benefits
- Strengthened institutional capacity to design and deliver effective disaster preparedness training at all levels
- Improved staff competence in risk communication, community education, and simulation-based learning
- Reduced vulnerability of the communities and beneficiaries your organisation serves through better-prepared local actors
- Aligned training programmes with internationally recognised frameworks such as the Sendai Framework and Sphere Standards
- Enhanced inter-agency coordination through a shared language and methodology for resilience education
- Developed in-house trainers and facilitators capable of cascading disaster preparedness knowledge throughout the organisation
- Strengthened monitoring and evaluation of training investments in disaster risk reduction
- Better-prepared workforces that can respond confidently and effectively when disasters strike
- Improved donor reporting and accountability through evidence-based training design and evaluation
- Positioned your organisation as a credible, professional leader in disaster resilience capacity building
Where Is Education and Training for Disaster Resilience Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Kisumu, Abuja, Nakuru, Pretoria, Nairobi, Arusha, Zanzibar, Addis Ababa, Dubai, Cape Town, Lagos, Kampala, Riyadh, Kigali, Johannesburg, Mombasa, Naivasha, Accra, Dar es Salaam, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
24 Oct 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Zanzibar, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Zanzibar, Tanzania |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
+227 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a formal background in education or training to attend this course?
No formal education background is required. The course is designed for humanitarian and emergency management professionals who need to build or strengthen training and capacity-building skills. Participants with field experience in DRR, public health, community development, or related areas will benefit greatly from the programme.
Will participants receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes. All participants who attend the full five days and complete the capstone training plan exercise will receive a Certificate of Completion from TrainingComplex. The certificate is recognised by humanitarian sector employers and can be included in professional portfolios and donor CVs.
Is this course relevant to both government and NGO staff?
Absolutely. The curriculum is designed to be relevant across sectors — including national disaster management authorities, local government, international NGOs, UN agencies, Red Cross/Red Crescent societies, and community-based organisations. The facilitation draws on case studies from all of these contexts.
What should participants bring or prepare before attending?
Participants are encouraged to bring a brief description of a current or planned disaster training initiative within their organisation, as this will serve as the basis for the capstone exercise. A laptop or tablet is helpful but not essential, as printed materials and group workstations are provided.
Is the course available online or only in-person?
The course is primarily delivered in-person at TrainingComplex's scheduled locations across Africa and the Middle East, enabling the hands-on simulation and group facilitation practice that are central to the learning experience. A Live Virtual option is also available for cohorts where participants cannot travel, delivered over five consecutive days via video conference with the same facilitator-led, interactive methodology.
