Norwegian Refugee Council

Interactive and bespoke e-learning utilising branching scenarios to train compliance in the field for global humanitarian workers.

Look and feel

THE TRAINING NEED

It was recognised that the compliance of people managers in the field needed to be improved with regard to the minimum standards for duty of care. The learning needed to take into account pre-existing knowledge and experience and be pitched at the right level so as not to appear patronising to a senior audience, while still being both challenging and engaging.

Aleido was commissioned to produce an e-learning module for the Council’s recently launched ‘Duty of Care’ policy. They were open to ideas on how we could elevate what many would consider an intrinsically ‘dry’ subject.

The ‘Duty of Care’ policy reflects the everyday decisions people managers must make to ensure their teams are as safe, well-trained, and well-informed as possible while working with beneficiaries to bring aid and support to refugees worldwide.

Specific requirements of the e-learning included:

A modern and inclusive learning solution, enhanced by an accompanying marketing campaign to raise awareness of the course launch.
Reflective exercises.
Scenario-based decision making.

OUR BESPOKE LEARNING SOLUTION

We worked closely with stakeholders to gain an in-depth understanding of the training needs and quickly established clear learning aims and outcomes. It was agreed that we would not follow the well-trodden path of most compliance-based courses—i.e., presenting learners with reams of policy information followed by a compulsory assessment.

Instead, we opted for a more modern and inclusive learning solution, enhanced by an accompanying marketing campaign to raise awareness of the course launch. The use of branching scenarios provided learners with a truly immersive experience where ‘learning by doing’ played out through simulated—but realistic—real-world consequences.

The bespoke e-learning module is set in the fictional, remote country of Simuland, where the Council had previously hosted some of its key security-based courses. Learners take on the role of ‘Country Director’ and are tasked with ensuring the safety of their team during a mission across a highly volatile landscape. The team faces inhospitable roads and warring militant factions along the way. Every decision the learner makes has direct and consequential outcomes.

The learning supports the principle that adherence to minimum standards can help avoid potentially negative consequences. Upon completion of the mission, learners are given time to reflect on the decisions they made. The e-learning experience also includes a call to action, asking learners to make concrete commitments for future behaviour. This is framed using the tried-and-tested coaching model: Start, Stop, Continue—e.g., “What will I start doing now? What will I stop doing?” etc. These responses can be exported as a PDF and/or sent via email for future reference.

Key NRC stakeholders and our designers collaborated closely to develop the scenarios. A shared commitment to making them believable, challenging, and effective became a mantra for the entire team. If any element fell short, the newly formed project team leveraged all available resources to raise it to the highest standard.

This same team continued their collaborative momentum when developing the accompanying marketing piece. What started as an idea evolved into a teaser campaign, comprising posters, promotional emails, and a film-style trailer to generate excitement and interest in the course.

The bold and collaborative approach to both the learning solution and the promotional strategy has enabled Aleido to forge a strong working relationship with the NRC—one that has likely helped pave the way for future collaborations.