Fresh Humanitarian Perspectives – Details, episodes & analysis

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Hear Bidjan Nashat, tech entrepreneur and seasoned humanitarian leader, speak candidly on the challenges and opportunities in advancing localisation within the humanitarian sector.

In this open and informative conversation with the HLA's Ka Man Parkinson, Bidjan critiques current localisation debates and advocates for practical, actionable steps to drive meaningful change. 

Discover his views on the transformative potential of cash transfers, anticipatory action, and the critical importance of talent development. Technology and AI comes into focus throughout the discussion, and Bidjan highlights how it plays a crucial role in democratising access to personal and professional development for local talent.

About the speakers

Bidjan Nashat is co-founder of PotentialU, an app that serves frontline leaders with personalised insights and AI coaching. He has over a decade of executive leadership experience in start-ups as well as large global organisations. He served as CEO of Atlas Corps, a social enterprise committed to diverse talent and leadership development and was part of the executive team at Save the Children International. He is based in Washington DC, USA.

Ka Man Parkinson is Communications and Marketing Advisor at the HLA. She is based in Manchester, UK.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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In this episode, we are focusing on locally-led humanitarian research.  On the SHIFT programme example and reflecting on our partnerships with researchers in Ukraine and Poland, we discuss how local specialists are and should be involved in data collection, analysis, and research design.

Tune in to hear from Maryana Zaviyska, Chief of Project Portfolio at Open Space Works, a Ukrainian female-led private social change enterprise, Myroslava Keryk, President of Ukrainian House Foundation, a Polish civic organisation focused on integration of migrants and refugees, and Elisa Sandri, Research & Evaluation Specialist at Humanitarian Leadership Academy. 

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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In this episode, we discuss various learning opportunities provided by the HLA and Save the Children, which support capacity strengthening in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

As countries of the MENA region face different types of crises, humanitarian actors on the ground need tailored capacity-strengthening programmes. Listen to this conversation with Bdour Ghousheh, HLA Regional Lead in the Middle East and North Africa and Abed Dbas, the Education Specialist at Save the Children Syria Response office, hosted by Oksana Dobrovolska, HLA Communications Officer, to learn more about it.

About the speakers

Bdour Ghousheh has more than 10 years of experience in the humanitarian sector,  focusing on education, partnerships, project management and capacity strengthening in the MENAEE region. Now, Bdour provides strategic direction and leadership to the broader Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s approach across the MENAEE region and manages a team of humanitarian experts working in different areas (Leadership, Technical expertise and Civil Society Strengthening).   

Abed Dbas is the Education Specialist at Save the Children Syria Response office, based in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Abed manages the technical and operational aspects of the education program in Northwest Syria. 

Hosted and produced by Oksana Dobrovolska, Communications Officer at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, based in the United Kingdom.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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Join us as we explore the visionary Humanitarian Xchange, a groundbreaking event set to redefine global humanitarian sector. 

The inaugural Humanitarian Xchange is a hybrid conference scheduled to take place in London, UK and online on 20 February 2024.

Dominic Courage, the force behind HX24, shares its unique vision, behind-the-scenes insights, and invites you to join this milestone moment.

Tune in to discover how you can be part of shaping a future with a new generation of humanitarians.

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Dominic Courage is Deputy Director External Relations at the HLA, responsible for ensuring that the HLA’s strategy is supported by a business model that will sustain our impact. Before joining the HLA, Dom worked with Save the Children leading humanitarian technical teams and deploying to emergencies around the world. Prior to this he worked with the engineering consultancy Arup as a civil engineer and project manager.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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Humanitarian learning is constantly evolving to be more accessible, inclusive and contextually relevant.

The audiences, their needs, adequate formats for delivery and balance of power from how training is accessed to how it is delivered - is also changing.

In this podcast episode, we hear from Rose Wahome, an educationist and HLA Learning Solutions Specialist in conversation with Nwabundo Okoh, HLA Communication and Marketing Specialist.

Rose gleans from over 18 years of experience in education, programme management and delivering face-to-face and blended humanitarian trainings including simulations to share how the training she delivers around the world and particularly in East and Southern Africa is shifting the power. 

This episode is a deep-dive into how training happens from the initial request to logistics, delivery and follow up. Rose, an avid hiker who has climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro twice also shares some inspiring nuggets of wisdom for humanitarians seeking to make a difference.

About the speakers

Rose Wahome is a Learning Solutions Specialist focused on Education in Emergencies Professional Development Programme (EiE PDP) at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.  Rose is based in Kenya.

Hosted and produced by Nwabundo Okoh, Communications and Marketing Specialist at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. Nwando is based in the United Kingdom.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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Globally, many families are preparing for the start of a new academic year, with children and young people currently starting or returning to education.

However, in countries and regions around the world impacted by emergencies and crises, millions do not have access to education and safe learning environments.

In this podcast episode, Soso Bagashvili and Efren Lubuguin from the HLA’s Asia Regional Centre speak to Ka Man Parkinson about the education in emergencies (EiE) context from their vantage point in Asia.

In 2023 across the Asia-Pacific region, what are the main barriers that children and young people face in terms of accessing education in the region – and what interventions can help to overcome such challenges? And in the face of such a complex and challenging regional context across the world’s largest continent, how can agencies coordinate a suitable and sustainable EiE response?

Soso and Efren share their perspectives and explain how – by working in partnership with Education Cluster partners and national/local organisations – they’ve been able to work in an agile and responsive way to design and implement EiE interventions localised to the Asia regional context. They also share their upcoming plans and aspirations for EiE capacity strengthening in the region.

About the podcast speakers

Soso Bagashvili is Regional Head of Capacity Strengthening and Partnerships, Asia at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.  Soso is based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Efren Lubuguin is Regional Professional Development Programme Manager EiE, Asia at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.  Efren is based in Manila. Philippines.

Hosted and produced by Ka Man Parkinson, Communications and Marketing Advisor at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. Ka Man is based in Manchester, UK.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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In this episode, we are discussing civil society strengthening in the context of the Ukraine crisis response in Eastern Europe with Olga Nikolska, the Program Director of Culture of Philanthropy Development at Civil Society Organisation Ednannia, and Pawel Mania, the Deputy Director for Transformational Response at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. Listen for insights from more than 20 years of experience of Ednannia - one of the largest and most experienced civil society organisations in Ukraine, as well as the HLA’s localisation approach and view on the challenges and needs specific to the region.    

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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Humanitarians across the sector - whether directly or indirectly - are already engaging with these tools and immersing in the metaverse. What does that look like now and in the next 10 years?

James and Austen take us on journeys through technology before the metaverse, and how capacity strengthening needs and solutions have evolved over time.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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Humanitarian learning experts Dr Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings (Centre for Humanitarian Leadership) and Esther Grieder (Humanitarian Leadership Academy) join forces to help us to navigate the maze of learning pathways and opportunities available to current and aspiring humanitarians - whether through an academic route at university, lifelong learning, or perhaps a blend of both.

From research, flexible and asynchronous study and stackable learning through to free bite-sized courses with digital badges – Nazanin and Esther break it down for us and demystify the options in an insightful podcast discussion hosted by Ka Man Parkinson.

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Dr Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings is the Associate Director of Research at the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, a Deakin University/Save the Children Australia partnership, and Senior Lecturer in Humanitarian Studies at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University.

Esther Grieder is Global Communities and Partnerships Lead at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. She holds 20 years of experience in the international development and humanitarian sectors, working primarily on education, youth, health and humanitarian issues.

Ka Man Parkinson is Communications and Marketing Advisor at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.

Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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“Solidarity is the political expression of love. And I have hope and faith that we can get to a place that's equitable for all.”
 – Michelle Brillouet
 
Listen to Ka Man Parkinson in conversation with Michelle Brillouet and Tim Carpentier on a thought-provoking exploration of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) - and why it matters now more than ever, particularly in the humanitarian sector. 

Michelle and Tim illustrate why systemic change is necessary by taking us on a personal journey of what DEI means to them, before delving into topical issues including power and decision-making, neo-colonialism and anti-racism.
 
 As committed DEI advocates and representatives, Michelle and Tim share their experiences of creating inclusive work practices – and highlight actions we can take to play our part in creating a humanitarian space that’s diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Michelle Brillouet (She/They) is a User Experience Specialist at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, dedicating her days to empowering individuals and organisations through the innovative Kaya platform. Michelle brings a wealth of experience to her work, with a strong background in education, particularly working with at-risk young people and international students.

Michelle is a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity, and her expertise in creating safe and inclusive environments that promote mental health and wellbeing is second to none. As an EDI coach, she is committed to driving change in the EdTech industry and promoting psychological safety in organisations.

Tim Carpentier (He/Him) is Digital Learning Lead at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy where he supports a team to design and develop digital learning resources for frontline humanitarian practitioners.

He has a technical background in gender equality, with a particular emphasis in humanitarian settings and holds an MA in International Humanitarian Action. Tim joined the HLA in 2020 and has also undertaken work across the Humanitarian Department at Save the Children UK integrating gender equality into its work.

Ka Man Parkinson (She/Her) is Communications and Marketing Advisor at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. She  joined the HLA in 2022 and holds a background in communications and marketing in the education and NGO sectors.
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Thanks for listening. Please help us to grow this podcast by subscribing and leaving a review on the platform you're listening from. Thank you! For more resources for the humanitarian community, visit humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources

The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.