Sector-wide Learning
Sector-wide learning is a key theme for ALNAP. Many failings experienced by the humanitarian sector, when responding to natural disasters and complex emergencies are not unique: they have been experienced before, during previous emergencies and by other organisations.
ALNAP is founded on the basis that willingness and openness by humanitarian organisations to learning from other organisations and previous experiences can help overcome these generic issues. ALNAP's approach to facilitating the improvement of learning by humanitarian organisations has been threefold:
- ALNAP has aimed to raise awareness of the importance of organisational learning in humanitarian organisations and deepen understanding of how learning takes place through a number of studies. ALNAP also trialled the concept of a Learning Support Office in a slow-onset natural disaster environment during 2002-3.
- ALNAP encourages humanitarian organisations to learn from each other by facilitating the exchange of lessons, experiences, and approaches through its Evaluative Reports Database and through its biannual meetings.
- ALNAP raises awareness of key lessons for the humanitarian sector through its regular analysis of previous evaluative material. These are promptly produced and widely circulated in response to emergencies. ALNAP's Review series also features an annual synthesis focussing on lessons for the sector, while also commenting on performance.
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