Innovation

Nurturing a culture of constant adaptation and creation

With the ever-increasing frequency and complexity of natural and man-made disasters, humanitarian organisations require new approaches to tackle these emergencies. The Academy’s approach to innovation leverages not just technology, but new tools and methodologies to solve some of these problems in locally relevant, creative ways. With the longstanding focus on learning and knowledge, the Academy attempts to answer the question:

“How do we co-create and share learning that is engaging, scalable and impactful to build resilient communities and save lives?”

At the centre of our learning process is the endeavour to enable others to create and share their own experiences, thus becoming active creators of learning rather than being passive consumers of knowledge.

Creating Spaces for Innovation

We create spaces for individual innovators and groups within the humanitarian sector to innovate – with a keen focus on learning and knowledge sharing.We use design thinking and co-creation, combined with innovations in learning to create innovative learning at the local level.

We create spaces to capture local ideas around learning through design thinking.

We identify, test and incubate local learnings into ed-tech and learning tech solutions.

We scale tools, content and tech through learning platforms and supporting other organisations.

Learning about Innovation

We want to help humanitarian professionals and organisations understand what innovation means and why it is so important. We believe that anyone can be empowered with the approaches, frameworks, tools and techniques to be innovative, with a focus on user centred design (UCD) and co-creation.

Innovation Essentials

Innovation is about creatively problem-solving to add new value. Through this online course you will pick up some practical tools, skills and frameworks that you can apply in your own context and bring innovation to life in your organisation. The course includes a series of real-life examples of innovation from around the world.

Related Course

Humanitarian Futures & Foresight

Does the humanitarian sector have the capacity and vision to tackle the crises of tomorrow? How can we prepare for the challenges we are going to face in the coming years? Try this new online course and get future-ready! Developed in collaboration with the Institute for the Future (IFTF).

Related Course

Gamification for Humanitarian Learning

Gamification for Humanitarian Learning introduces game elements and user journeys preparing learners to use these tools to create and deploy games for highly engaging learning in the humanitarian sector. Developed in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO).

Related Course

Innovations in Learning

We aim to uncover new ways of creating and delivering knowledge to users in different cultures and contexts. This includes scanning, testing and scaling the latest learning technology solutions from within and outside of the humanitarian sector.

The Academy is currently focussing on three areas:

Gamification in Learning

Objectives

Increase learner engagement through gamification, integrated with learning journeys on Kaya
Support local game creators with scaling their games through Kaya
Introduce role playing, narrative-based journeys, scenarios, positive behavioural change, peer-to-peer learning
Games integrated within existing learning on Kaya, e.g. coaching & mentoring, safety & security, volunteer training

Key Elements

Emphasis on experiential learning through:
Scenario & narrative-based journeys
Role-playing
Group-based activities

Low-Cost Virtual Reality & 360° films

Objectives

Explore enhancement in crisis-immersion and empathy building using ‘bite-sized’ VR for volunteer and staff training
Evaluate user engagement to build an evidence base
Short VR films/media that integrate well with existing learning pathways:
Portraying different points-of-view of stakeholders in the Rohingya refugee camps
Exploring the Marawi crisis through a victim’s journey
Understanding the history of the conflict in South Sudan through motion illustrations in VR

Key Elements

Immersive environments
• Rich storytelling
• Actionable learning

AI-in-Ed (Chatbots)

Objectives

Create a suite of learning content nuggets that engage users via social media embedded chatbots
Take users on a short-narrative driven journey to help them understand the role of volunteers in the field
Help users select Kaya courses
Further explore the use of AI in the learning experience

Gamification Workshops

“The gamification project has allowed us to innovate with user-centred design tools for co-creation of learning at a local level. Whether we are looking at how to better manage disasters in the Philippines, engage youth with the Sustainable Development Goals in the Middle East or better equip teachers in Bangladesh, design thinking combined with easy-to-use technology has allowed us to bring together partners from NGOs, the private sector, academia and local governments to develop innovative learning games that aim to solve some of these problems.”

Atish Gonsalves, Global Innovation Director, Humanitarian Leadership Academy

Gamification Workshops

“It was a captivating and interactive forum that gave me new skills in innovation and how to implement them in day-to-day processes. Eagerly awaiting the next one!”

Morris Laichena, Manager Networks and Support Services, Kenya Institute of Management

Gamification Workshops

“I loved every second of this brilliantly paced and super relevant workshop! Thank you”

Rabia, Jordan

Our Impact

Blog

The next frontier in solving Africa’s problems – eLearning

In an event with over a thousand delegates, 68 parallel sessions, 50 exhibition booths, and 18 sector representation, the 13th…

Read our latest blog post

Evaluating Innovation

We generate and develop learning around best practices for humanitarian innovation: evaluating the processes, practices and behaviours used, that were both successful and unsuccessful.

Want to find out more or run a co-creation workshop with us?

Innovation

Innovation

Nurturing a culture of constant adaptation and creation

“How do we co-create and share learning that is engaging, scalable and impactful to build resilient communities and save lives?”

Creating Spaces for Innovation

Learning about Innovation

Innovation Essentials

Humanitarian Futures & Foresight

Gamification for Humanitarian Learning

“The innovation course is for anyone interested to learn about innovation. It doesn’t matter if you are new to innovation or to the humanitarian sector. It offers good examples, good tools on how you can learn about innovation but hopefully apply innovation as well in real life.”

“Foresight is important because it helps us plan for the future. Major disasters can be averted or even managed properly. This approach helps us see possible mistakes that could be made in the future.”

“As a sector, we should always be looking at ways we can improve our work. Utilising foresight helps us develop programs that are sustainable – not just looking at the issues, structures, and resources that exist now, but also those that are to come.”

“What we’re hoping with innovation is to find new ways to deliver efficiently and more effectively, being able to respond better.”

Innovations in Learning

Gamification in Learning

Objectives

Key Elements

Low-Cost Virtual Reality & 360° films

Objectives

Key Elements

AI-in-Ed (Chatbots)

Objectives

Gamification Workshops

Gamification Workshops

Gamification Workshops

Our Impact

The next frontier in solving Africa’s problems – eLearning

Using games to improve teaching methods in Bangladesh

Gamification as a tool for youth engagement in the Middle East

Blog

The next frontier in solving Africa’s problems – eLearning

Evaluating Innovation

We generate and develop learning around best practices for humanitarian innovation: evaluating the processes, practices and behaviours used, that were both successful and unsuccessful.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Innovation

Innovation

Nurturing a culture of constant adaptation and creation

“How do we co-create and share learning that is engaging, scalable and impactful to build resilient communities and save lives?”

Creating Spaces for Innovation

Learning about Innovation

Innovation Essentials

Humanitarian Futures & Foresight

Gamification for Humanitarian Learning

“The innovation course is for anyone interested to learn about innovation. It doesn’t matter if you are new to innovation or to the humanitarian sector. It offers good examples, good tools on how you can learn about innovation but hopefully apply innovation as well in real life.”

“Foresight is important because it helps us plan for the future. Major disasters can be averted or even managed properly. This approach helps us see possible mistakes that could be made in the future.”

“As a sector, we should always be looking at ways we can improve our work. Utilising foresight helps us develop programs that are sustainable – not just looking at the issues, structures, and resources that exist now, but also those that are to come.”

“What we’re hoping with innovation is to find new ways to deliver efficiently and more effectively, being able to respond better.”

Innovations in Learning

Gamification in Learning

Objectives

Key Elements

Low-Cost Virtual Reality & 360° films

Objectives

Key Elements

AI-in-Ed (Chatbots)

Objectives

Gamification Workshops

Gamification Workshops

Gamification Workshops

Our Impact

The next frontier in solving Africa’s problems – eLearning

Using games to improve teaching methods in Bangladesh

Gamification as a tool for youth engagement in the Middle East

Blog

The next frontier in solving Africa’s problems – eLearning

Evaluating Innovation

We generate and develop learning around best practices for humanitarian innovation: evaluating the processes, practices and behaviours used, that were both successful and unsuccessful.

Subscribe to our newsletter

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