Topic 7: Preparing for departure
Assessing your core competencies
Japan earthquake 2011 |
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Your daily reading of newspaper headlines has been more worrisome than usual. In addition to the tragic news of a recent major earthquake occurring in a neighbouring country (Eastland), a respected UN aid official was also reported killed by unknown combatants while travelling in the affected site. While the report is still sketchy, the journalist saw fit to include recent research on deaths among aid workers as follows: “A recent report from the Overseas Development Institute confirmed that there has been a significant rise in the number of attacks in which aid workers were killed, kidnapped or injured, from 35 in 1997 to 155 in 2008. There has been a particularly marked increase over the last three years. In the last eighteen months alone, three UNHCR staff members were killed in the course of duty, and two held as hostages for extended periods.” This thought was still in your mind when you opened your email with the following attachment: Dear Colleague, I would like to request your agreement for an immediate deployment in your function as complex emergency aid worker in Eastland. We are currently supporting our partner Non Government Organisation’s country office in Eastland to strengthen its efforts to deal with the major earthquake that has had devastating effects to its capital and surrounding localities. These are the same places which are still being rebuilt following fires that resulted from recent violent conflicts. The country office is in urgent need of qualified emergency response staff and your name has been proposed in view of your expertise in this area. The details of the release are outlined below:
I am sure you will understand the greatest urgency of this request, which is critically important to the organisation and the region. I thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. Please do not hesitate to get back to me through this email should you have further questions. With best regards, Jo Knowles As you read through this email, you feel excited about this possible engagement and proceed on reflecting on why you feel comfortable in accepting this assignment, despite of the complexity of the challenges you may face. After careful consideration, list three competencies that would qualify a person for this deployment. Possible answers (click here to see possible answers once you have completed this task) |
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