Introduction to Cash and Voucher Assistance / Cash Transfer Programming

• CVA/CTP Definition
• Modalities and types of CVA/CTP
• Why and when to use CVA/CTP
• Operators and CVA/CTP

Assessment: Cash feasibility, appropriateness and risk analysis

• The CVA Project cycle: specifications
• Cash feasibility and appropriateness
• CVA and Risk analysis

Assessment: Market analysis

• Introduction
• Market assessment tools
• Emergency Mapping Market Analysis (EMMA)
• Market analysis

Response Options Analysis (ROA)

• What is response options analysis?
• Response options analysis tools
• Criteria to assess and select the best option
• Value for money

Setting the Value of the Grant (SVG)

• SVG to meet basic needs
• SVG to support shelter recovery
• SVG via Cash for Work projects
• Adjust the value
• Frequency of payments

Delivery mechanisms

• Delivery mechanisms, agents and instruments
• Conditions of different mechanisms
• Tips for delivery mechanisms and instruments
• Select the appropriate delivery mechanism and instrument

Implementation and monitoring

• Implementation: selecting financial providers and partners
• Implementation: communicating the programme
• Effective Monitoring
• Monitoring: Examples of indicators and tools

Preparedness for CVA & linkages with Social Protection Systems

• Key activities in CVA/CTP Preparedness
• Dimensions of preparedness
• Tips for CVA preparedness
• The Organisational Cash Readiness Tool (OCRT)
• The importance of linking humanitarian CVA to national social protection systems
• Possibilities, benefits and challenges of linking humanitarian CVA to social protection systems

Course graduates will be able to perform the following roles within Cash and Vouchers programmes in emergencies:

• CVA Programme coordinator
• Programme officer
• Technical advisor

They will obtain specific competencies to:

• Assess cash feasibility
• Analyse markets
• Select the best response and delivery mechanism
• Monitor cash programmes, and
• Advice organizations to be cash-ready.

The Teaching staff are:

• A Director of Studies, to deal with learning and administrative issues
• A humanitarian worker in charge of debates within the thematic forums as Guest Experts
• A Technician to give support with the virtual classroom

After completing successfully all the tests, the participant will receive a certificate as Specialist on Cash and Voucher Assistance in Emergencies

Our courses use an e-learning methodology based on socio-constructivist pedagogy. Proponents of Constructivist Learning believe that knowledge is developed or ‘constructed’ in the mind of the student through collaborative learning processes rather than being merely passed on through traditional text books and teacher-to-student teaching methods.

Selected elements of our methodology are explained below:

• Learning takes place in a Virtual Classroom, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, accessible by internet from anywhere.
• Once in the classroom the student will find general information about the course as well as the course subject material with accompanying exercises and support documents.
• The training process for each of the topics draws on the following tools and materials.
  • Learning objectives
  • Presentations and videos
  • Selection of official documents from the United Nations, NGOs and official cooperation organizations, with study instructions.
  • Summary of key messages.
  • Bibliography
• The evaluation system consists of online exams
• The learning process is supported by the set up of debate forums for all topics.

All the students cover the same topics within the same timeframe, but each student works through the course materials at his or her own pace. This enables forums to be interesting and relevant, and often provokes discussion between students of a similar advanced level. The intrinsic flexibility in these courses means that, if necessary, students can interrupt their studies for periods of time, for work or other reasons. When this happens, they are recommended to restart at the same stage as the rest of the group and to gradually cover missed material with the support of the tutor.