The 1st ASCEND Competency Assessment was successfully conducted by the AHA Centre, in collaboration with the Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) from 29 July to 1 August 2024 at the Indonesia Disaster Relief Training Ground (INA-DRTG) in Bogor, Indonesia. This milestone marks a significant step towards establishing a regional professional certification programme that recognises individual disaster management expertise across ASEAN.
Launched in September 2020, the ASCEND programme has undergone substantial progress in coordination with the National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) of ASEAN Member States and AHA Centre partner institutions. These collaborative efforts culminated in the development of rigorous online and face-to-face assessment process.
The event commenced with remarks from Dr. Bagus Tjahjono, Senior Expert Trainer of BNPB, highlighting the importance of continued collaboration in the future. Complementing this, Mr. Lee Yam Ming, Executive Director of the AHA Centre, emphasised in his opening remarks the significance of this event. “This first assessment will be a stepping stone for us to improve and develop a more robust ASCEND Competency Assessment in the future, in order to optimise our collective efforts in facilitating recognition and mobility of disaster management professionals.”
Upholding the ASCEND Standards
Twenty-five (25) individuals from the ASEAN NDMOs and affiliated AHA Centre organisations underwent a stringent assessment process to evaluate their competencies in their chosen disaster management occupations. The assessments were based on the ASCEND Competency Standards endorsed by the ASEAN Member States and conducted by assessors trained by the AHA Centre. Each candidate was assessed by a panel comprising three assessors from NDMOs, NGOs, or academia.
There were seven (7) occupations covered in this 1st assessment namely, Rapid Assessment Coordinator, Rapid Assessment Officer, Humanitarian Logistics Coordinator, Humanitarian Logistics Officer, Information Management Coordinator, Information Management Officer, and Humanitarian Shelter and Settlement Coordinator.
In the Spirit of Collaboration
On the final day of the assessment, representatives from the ASCEND Project Steering Committee, UNOCHA, Indonesia Red Cross, and CKP-CBT Centre joined the event as observers.
Deputy Minister for Disaster Prevention of BNPB, Dra. Prasinta Dewi, M.A.P, expressed her enthusiasm on the role of ASCEND in strengthening the regional capabilities in disaster management. “The 1st ASCEND Competency Assessment is an important stepping stone for ASEAN Member States to equip its experts to be a regional and global player in disaster management,” said Ms. Dewi during her remarks.
In addition, the Ambassador of the Mission of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN H.E. Lee Jang-Keun appreciated the conduct of the competency assessment. “I am impressed by this programme. It really shows the Republic of Korea’s commitment to supporting ASEAN in the disaster prevention sector. I am also grateful that this activity is not only participated by representatives of the ASEAN countries, but also from Korea,” he remarked during his visit. ASCEND is a programme supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea through the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF).
Concluding the observer visit and assessment session, Mr. Lee Yam Ming expressed his gratitude towards BNPB as the host of this first competency assessment and the Republic of Korea for their continued support in ensuring the success of this programme. He also reiterated the importance of ASCEND in addressing the myriads of challenges in responding to natural disasters across the region.
A Step Towards Excellence
To promote continuous improvement of the ASCEND certification programme, an After-Action Review Workshop followed on 2August 2024, where assessors and observers gathered to reflect on the lessons learned from past three-day competency assessments. The key takeaways from the workshop will inform the next ASCEND assessments.
The series of event concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Krishna Putra Tanaja, Deputy Executive Director of the AHA Centre. He expressed sincere appreciation to the assessors for their invaluable contributions and commitment to the ASCEND Standards, which were instrumental to the event’s success.
Written by Raffyanda Muhammad Indrajaya, ASCEND Intern
Photo Credit: AHA Centre
