Announcing the Humanitarian Needs Assessment E-Learning Program: A free learning resource on KoboToolbox Academy

Needs assessments are the cornerstone of effective humanitarian response, providing crucial insights into the needs of affected populations. Assessments and response efforts vary significantly depending on the context, type of disaster or crisis, organizations involved, and resources available. Collecting timely and accurate data for assessments is critical, but these efforts often take place in some of the most challenging and resource-limited environments in the world. Without a clear understanding of the needs of impacted communities, frontline organizations face many obstacles to delivering targeted, efficient assistance.

The Humanitarian Needs Assessment E-Learning Program aims to address these challenges by strengthening capacities in conducting effective needs assessments, data collection, and coordination. Co-developed by Kobo and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in response to requests from the humanitarian community for enhanced resources on the assessment process, this training was originally published in 2015 as the Coordinated Assessment Training Modules. Now offered for free on the KoboToolbox Academy, the humanitarian needs assessment training has been newly updated with additional resources and hands-on learning activities by the Kobo team, in collaboration with OCHA.

This interactive training focuses on each stage of the humanitarian needs assessment cycle as well as assessment coordination and data collection. Using a joint assessment scenario, participants learn key strategies and tools for conducting assessments, including coordination, data collection methods, and best practices for reporting. In addition to learning about the use of KoboToolbox for digital data collection, participants are also introduced to resources and information about programmatic and sectoral assessments.

Structured as two modules of learning content, this self-paced course covers the four stages of the humanitarian needs assessment cycle, with lessons on preparation, design and planning, data collection, and analysis and reporting.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Systematically prepare and plan needs assessments
• Design an analysis plan and identify the assessment methodology
• Define assessment coordination
• Develop and pilot test forms using KoboToolbox
• Conduct basic data collection and data quality monitoring
• Use KoboCollect for mobile data collection
• Perform basic data analysis and understand responsible analysis
• Apply best practices in report writing

Interactive scenarios with audio and multimedia elements are integrated throughout the training program to support learners in understanding and applying concepts and techniques. The training also includes an assessment quiz at the end of each module to help solidify learning. Upon completion of the training, participants will receive an official Humanitarian Needs Assessment E-Learning Program certificate.

Designed specifically for humanitarian organizations, this training offers a comprehensive overview of the needs assessment process, with the goal of supporting more impactful aid for communities. In keeping with our mission, Kobo is pleased to provide this training for free on KoboToolbox Academy, improving access to this important capacity building resource for nonprofits worldwide.

Get started with the training today: academy.kobotoolbox.org/courses/humanitarian-needs-assessment/.

To learn more about our KoboToolbox Essentials Course and the Cours d’initiation à KoboToolbox, our French Essentials Course, please visit the KoboToolbox Academy.

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