tehran university of medical sciences institute of public health research health emergency &...
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Tehran University of Medical Sciences Institute of Public Health Research
Health Emergency & Disaster Department (HE&DD)
Coordination
Ali Ardalan MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Emergency situation
Overwhelming needs
Competing priorities
Destroyed or damaged communication and
transportation infrastructure
A rapid influx of providers of humanitarian assistance
coupled with an outburst of mutual aid from local citizens
Highly stressed local governmental and non-
governmental institutions.
Definition
Coordination may be defined as intentional actions to
harmonize individual responses to maximize impact and
achieve synergy - a situation where the overall effect is
greater than the sum of the parts.
There can be a little coordination or a lot of coordination
and, for the most part, the more coordination - the better.
Absence of Coordination: Characteristics
Gaps in service to affected populations
Duplication of effort
Inappropriate assistance
Inefficient use of resources
Bottlenecks & impediments
Slow reaction to changing conditions
Frustration of relief providers, officials and survivors
Final result:
Unsatisfactory response
Good Coordination Results:
Humane, neutral, and impartial assistance
Increased management effectiveness
Shared vision of the best possible outcomes
Seamless approach to service delivery
Donor confidence resulting in sufficient resources
The least possible amount of human suffering
and material damage and a rapid return to
normal living conditions and the ongoing
progress of development.
اي از تركيب يك تيم فرضي )پيشنهادي(:نمونه
Your Tasks:
Develop a plan, including objectives and activities that your group will do to address this emergency/develop an EOP.
Develop a coordination plan with other actors.
Nominate a person to make a presentation of your plan and how your group developed it
Coordination basis
Begins with the initiation of:
Working relationships
Regular sharing of information
Coordination basis
Coordination rarely is the result of one group or organization telling
another what or how to do their work:
Directing not Coordinating !!
Uncommon situation
Control of relief operations by a strong national government
Coordination basis
Agencies and individuals must see some added value from
participating in the coordination process & benefits must outweigh
the costs.
Coordination costs !!!: Time, other resources & may result in one organization:
Taking a “back seat” to another
Closing operations in one area
Taking on a challenge at which they may be less successful
Reducing their organization’s profile
Coordination Strategies
Participation
Impartiality
Transparency
Usefulness
Coordination Strategy: Participation
Coordination occurs:
Through the legitimacy derived from involvement
Within an agreed & supported structure and process by actors
Coordinator must:
Secure & maintain the confidence of the other actors
Engendering an atmosphere of respect and good will
Organizations need to participate in deciding the policies, procedures, strategies and plans that will
affect them.
Coordination Strategy: Impartiality
Coordination should:
Not be seen to favour one organization
Advocate the principle of impartiality
The provision of relief solely on the basis of
need irrespective of race, religion, political
affiliation, gender, or age; provided by the
actor most likely to achieve the desired
outcomes.
Coordination Strategy: Transparency
Coordination requires trust and trust requires transparency
This will include the need to admit failure or at least falling short of
objectives.
The willing flow of information, open decision-
making processes, and publicly-stated, sincere,
and honest rationales for decisions.
Coordination Strategy: Usefulness
Coordination process must produce useful products, processes, &
outcomes:
A platform for decision-making
An opportunity to use shared resources
A venue for donor recognition and support
A comfortable place to share frustrations and try out new ideas
Field-based Coordination
Strategic level
Operational level
Coordination technique: Promote an understanding of collaborating organizations Coordinator must first get to know the players by understanding the
mandates, intentions and capacities (material & personnel resources) of
various organizations:
Meeting & interviewing the agencies representatives, ASAP
Use a standard interview procedure
Recording the results at the coordination centre
Regular update
Briefing new arrivals and visitors
Who does what, where
A person should be able to walk into the coordination centre and have, easily accessible, a copy of descriptive information
on all operating agencies and the particulars of their operations.
Coordination technique: Make a Linkage Selecting the organizations to liaise:
Sector Geographical area of operation Government or opposition coordinating agent
Team members should ensure that the linkage has been made: Contacting the parties Organizing a meeting Escorting one of the parties and facilitating the introductions of the
organizational representatives
Some important and helpful linkages may already be operating: Small emergency relief community People knowing each other or having worked with one another in a previous
emergency Opposite situation: Unsatisfactory prior relationship
Coordination technique: Promote transparency Transparency: To see how & why decisions are being made
Reluctance to transparency: Natural tendency ?! Fears of disapproval Fears of that ideas will be stolen or resources monopolized Fears of that freedom of action or the ability to change course will
be circumscribed
Coordinator agency must model transparency in its own processes. Periodical evaluation Showing how the operation is improved by increasing the
coordination
Coordination technique: Start with the need of others Wrong approach:
“As coordinator we need this information to be able to coordinate”. Thus, the need for coordination resides in coordinator not in the
coordinatees.
First ask how you can help the others
Adopt a marketing approach where you try to find out their needs
and meet them, as opposed to selling them what you have to
offer.
Coordination technique: Write it down
Writing conclusions/agreements down provides a record for
follow-up and accountability.
Subject to change as situations change:
Updating
Coordination technique: Respect people’s time and schedulesDon’t let the coordination meetings get to be just another meeting!
Ensure that the meetings need to occur and that there is vital and important work to be done.
Don’t be afraid to cancel a standing meeting if the agenda is not compelling enough.
Publish an agenda for the meeting and stick to the schedule.
Try to begin and end meetings on time.
Practice good meeting facilitation skills.
Ensure that everyone has a chance to say what is on their mind and that a small group or individuals don’t dominate the conversation.
Coordination technique: Provide useful information and servicesPractice the technique of asking others what they need!
If the team is the repository of useful information, people will
want to come to it
Some types of information will always be useful to almost
everyone Maps:
If you maintain accurate maps, updated on the basis of operation information, people will beat a path to your door.
Coordination technique: Provide useful information and services
The coordination centre should be a good place to:
Get a copy made
Get a weather report
Check-out what might be going on somewhere
Get a security update
OR just see a smiling and congenial coordinator willing to take a
few moments to listen
Coordination technique: Build on Strengths
It is important to ask people to do things they can do.
Too often people agree to a task that they can’t or won’t perform
under the threat of consensus or just part of wanting to be a
team player.
Ask people to do things they can easily accomplish, especially at
first.
Coordination technique: No Surprises
Nobody likes to go to a meeting and be embarrassed because
they don’t know something they should or that other people
know.
Coordinator will need to meet and brief people outside of the
formal meeting process to keep them updated on current or fast
changing events, shifts in resources or important visitors.
Coordination technique: Thank people and acknowledge their contribution
Important technique in building commitment to the coordination
process
When organizations have done good work, changed their
program or otherwise gone out of their way to put other’s needs
ahead of their own they need to be thanked and acknowledged,
publicly.
Few things will inspire more participation in coordination than the
feeling of being a valued contributor.
Coordination technique: Hand over functions to others
It’s an old cliché, but try to work yourself out of a job.
Giving jobs to others can only help in freeing you up to take on
another task.
Coordination technique: Use the informal time
Don’t miss the chance to build effective relationships at down-time.
Sharing information on hobbies, favourite sports teams, family, etc. all
contribute to building the personal regard that will encourage people to want
to associate with the coordination process.
Although there is a minimum amount of “down-time” during an emergency
mission but there are always opportunities to interact with the response
community during off-duty periods like meals or after-hours socializing.
Coordination technique: Propinquity Choosing and establishing the site for the coordination centre
Several of the functions initially taken care of by the team will very soon, or simultaneously, be filled by other agencies
For logistic or security reasons, organizations provide services the humanitarian community will want to stay close to.
The team should ensure that these entities establish themselves inside, or as close as possible to, the coordination centre.
This will provide the humanitarian community with a “one-stop-shop” and they will come to you for services and information in a natural way - a situation where it will be easier for you to achieve your tasks.
This will be a great advantage for the coordination process as people will have easy access to each other and there will be more opportunities for informal networking.
Coordination technique: Propinquity Choosing and establishing the site for the coordination centre
Several of the functions initially taken care of by the team will very soon, or simultaneously, be filled by other agencies
For logistic or security reasons, organizations provide services the humanitarian community will want to stay close to.
The team should ensure that these entities establish themselves inside, or as close as possible to, the coordination centre.
This will provide the humanitarian community with a “one-stop-shop” and they will come to you for services and information in a natural way - a situation where it will be easier for you to achieve your tasks.
This will be a great advantage for the coordination process as people will have easy access to each other and there will be more opportunities for informal networking.
Coordination barriers
The perception that coordination will limit autonomy and that the freedom to make decisions and run programmes as desired will be circumscribed.
Too many decision-makers or too many organizations involved which will complicate the process and make consensus, or at least agreement, too difficult to achieve.
Different expectations or beliefs about what is important, a priority, or the “right” thing to do in a given situation.
Lack of resources to devote to coordination or coordination seen as a low priority given limited time and resources.
Limited “field-based” decision-making authority such that no decisions can be made without HQ approval thus resulting in delays or having an agreement overturned.
Coordination barriers
Staff turnover where new staff lacks a commitment to coordination or are
unaware of coordination agreements.
Unilateral actions that ignore established coordination mechanisms of the
coordination body whether by donors or member organizations.
Ineffectual or inappropriate coordination leadership, for example, when the
coordination body exercises autocratic leadership and imposes decisions on
others without a transparent process of involvement.
A coordination process that is not working well, has unclear objectives, and
is seen to waste time without obvious benefits to those participating in it.
Principle of Coordination Take into account the needs of beneficiaries, not just the needs of the
NGOs and other actors. Set up a regular procedure for coordination Allocate time and staff. Designate a regular time and place for meetings. Facilitate meetings effectively - set ground rules and clear objectives, use
time wisely and state decisions clearly. Avoid duplication of efforts, and guard against competing with one another
for power and “turf.” Document research and decisions and SHARE them. Make rational use of local resources. Monitor performance and impact. Prevent “burnout” of personnel by
Planning carefully. Being clear about roles and responsibilities.
Contact info:
e-mail: [email protected]
Office/Fax: +98-21- 88951401
Mobile: +98- 9123050192
Ali Ardalan MD PhD
Assistant Professor
Health Emergency & Disaster Department (HE&DD)
Institute of Public Health Research
Tehran University of Medical Sciences