New IFRC & Save the Children Online Course Teaches How to Localize Early Action Messages
November 15, 2023
The new self-paced online course Public Awareness Public Education (PAPE) & the WhatNow Service: Localizing action-oriented messages is now available on the IFRC Learning Platform. Developed by IFRC, in partnership with Save the Children and the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC), the course equips practitioners with essential skills to adapt and localize early action messages to make them relevant and effective for a specific country context.
Why is this course important?
In a changing climate, with increased risks of extreme weather and disasters, the public needs to have an even greater awareness of the risks they face and what they can do to prepare. Information shared at the right time and in an understandable way by trusted sources can save countless lives and help keep people safe. But finding reliable disaster guidance can be challenging, often leaving people uncertain about how to safely prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The Public Awareness Publication Education (PAPE) tool provides evidence-based, concise and practical messages that help communities build resilience and know how to safely act before, during and after an emergency. Building on the PAPE tool, the WhatNow Service was developed by GDPC as a digital library of key actionable messages to enable individuals and communities receive practical advice and guidance for staying safe during disasters.
To familiarize disaster management and humanitarian practitioners with those two tools, the IFRC joined forces with GDPC and Save the Children to develop the Public Awareness Public Education (PAPE) & the WhatNow Service: localizing action-oriented messages online course, recently launched on the IFRC Learning Platform. The course is a contribution to the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES) work to strengthen risk reduction and resilience education at scale.
What does the course cover?
The course provides an overview of PAPE and the WhatNow Service and enables learners to navigate and implement both tools. The course starts with an introduction to the role and importance of PAPE and the WhatNow Service.
Modules 1 and 2 are meant for anyone who is interested in initiating a collaborative, multi-stakeholder process to adapt and adopt key actionable messages at national level. Module 3 is specifically meant for Red Cross Red Crescent National Society representatives who wish to upload their key actionable messages onto the digital platform, the WhatNow Service.
Who can access the course?
The course is free and is accessible to everyone, not limited to RCRC National Societies staff and volunteers. This online course takes about 1h 45min to complete and is currently available in English. It will be available soon in Arabic, French and Spanish.
Participants can take the course on their desktop, laptop, or smartphone. An offline version is also available for download on the Learning Platform mobile app. Once completed, participants receive a certificate confirming successful completion of the course.
Enroll today and join this exciting journey!
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