COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND

HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

Lesson title: Impact and Needs Assessment Materials:

Worksheet/Activity Sheet

Lesson Objectives:

References:

1. Identify the steps in assessing the impact and needs of https://extranet.who.int/

affected situations and vulnerable stakeholders; kobe_centre/sites/default/files/
pdf/WHO
2. Elaborate each step; and %20Guidance_Research
%20Methods_Health-
3. Analyze the impact and needs of a given case study.
EDRM_3.2.pdf
1.
https://www.preventionweb.net/
disaster-risk/risk/vulnerability/

https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/
solutions-for-those-at-risk-of-
climate-disaster

https://www.preventionweb.net/
disaster-risk/risk/disaster-risk/

Productivity Tip:
Try discussing your ideas to your parents and friends about the impacts and needs assessment.
After discussing, check in the module if you have the same thoughts.

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

1) Introduction (2 mins)
Hello everyone! There are a lot of activities prepared for you. Today, we will tackle Impact and Needs
Assessment. You are now entering your first challenge and that is to answer the previous lesson to test
your understanding of the topic last time.

Enumerate the different Communication Audiences:

A. THOSE WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTION NEEDS
______________________________________________________
B. THE MEDIA
C. FIRST RESPONDERS
D. FUNCTIONAL NEEDS POPULATION

2) Activity 1: What I Know Chart, part 1 (3 mins)

Do you know anything about Impact and Needs Assessment? Try answering the questions below by
writing your ideas under the first column What I Know. It’s okay if you write key words or phrases that
you think are related to the questions.

What I Know Questions: What I Learned

Addressing areas for 1. What is needs assessment? The process of identifying

improvement and determining how to
bridge the gap between an
organization's current and
desired state.

Identifying and Measuring 2. What are the steps of needs Defining the Problem
Risk assessment?
Defining a Target Population
Measuring Vulnerability
Identifying Appropriate
Solutions

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

3.

B. MAIN LESSON
1) Activity 2: Pre-Printed Content Notes (13 mins)

Read and underline keywords. You also write important notes.

A needs assessment is the process of identifying and determining how to bridge the gap between an
organization's current and desired state. More specifically, the process outlines which processes a
team should prioritize, improve or provide resources to meet its goals. A needs assessment results in
an informative plan that directly addresses areas for improvement.

Identifying and Measuring Risk

- We can measure disaster risk by analyzing trends of, for instance, previous disaster losses. These
trends can help us to gauge whether disaster risk reduction is being effective. We can also estimate
future losses by conducting a risk assessment.

- A comprehensive risk assessment considers the full range of potential disaster events and their
underlying drivers and uncertainties. It can start with the analysis of historical events as well as
incorporating forward-looking perspectives, integrating the anticipated impacts of phenomena that are
altering historical trends, such as climate change. In addition, risk assessment may consider rare
events that lie outside projections of future hazards but that, based on scientific knowledge, could
occur. Anticipating rare events requires a range of information and interdisciplinary findings, along with
scenario building and simulations, which can be supplemented by expertise from a wide range of
disciplines.

Measuring Vulnerability

-Vulnerability is not simply about poverty, but extensive research over the past 30 years has revealed
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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

that it is generally the poor who tend to suffer worst from disasters. Poverty is both a driver and
consequence of disaster risk (particularly in countries with weak risk governance) because economic
pressures force people to live in unsafe locations (see exposure) and conditions. Poverty and the other
multi-dimensional factors and drivers that create vulnerability mean that susceptibility to the impacts of
hazards is often, but not always, associated with certain groups, including women, children, the elderly,
the disabled, migrants and displaced populations, amongst others.

- Many of the underlying drivers of vulnerability, including poorly managed urban development, are
increasing, resulting in vulnerability increasing in many countries and regions of the world. While
evidence suggests that wealthier, well governed countries are able to reduce disaster risks, some
countries have exhibited rapid economic growth in the last few decades without a commensurable rate
of vulnerability reduction.

Defining the Problem

- When a hazard event (such as a drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake or tsunami) occurs, triggering a
loss of life and damage to infrastructure, it highlights the reality that society and its assets are
vulnerable to such events. When discussing disaster risk management, a disaster can highlight the
following in a community:

-The geographical area where the community is settled is exposed to such a hazard.
-The society (including individuals) and its infrastructure, assets and other processes - as well as
services which may have experienced damage or destruction - are vulnerable.

Defining a Target Population

- Disaster risk reduction strategies emphasize preventive measures to reduce people’s and
infrastructure’s exposure to natural hazards by decreasing their vulnerability and strengthening
institutions for effective management of the risk. When it is determined that the risk to which a
population is exposed cannot be mitigated by any other measure, resettlement becomes the only option
for reducing the risk.

- In the case of natural disasters, resettlement has been included at the post disaster reconstruction
stage. Populations are resettled when they cannot return to live at the original site, either because it
has disappeared or because of prevailing conditions of risk that cannot be controlled by other means.

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

However, preventive resettlement for disaster risk reduction is a step some countries have recently
begun systematically to implement.
Identifying Appropriate Solutions

- Acting ahead of an event and preparing for a potential loss through disaster risk reduction (DRR)
measures or insurance — as opposed to dealing with such losses by responding to the impact after it
has happened — is beneficial for both governments and communities.

- Linking in DRR strategies would foster climate change adaptation. Countries would set their own risk
reduction priorities, and realize those goals with international support. Following the principle of
“common but differentiated responsibilities”, a first step is for affected countries to identify and make
plans for reducing weather-related risks. Risk reduction activities might include:

1. Map and avoid high-risk zones

2. Build hazard-resistant structures and houses
3. Protect and develop hazard buffers (forests, reefs, etc.)
4. Develop culture of prevention and resilience
5. Improve early warning and response systems
6. Build institutions, and development policies and plans

2) Activity 3: Skill-building Activities (with answer key) (18 mins + 2 mins checking)

After learning the impact and needs assessment, read and understand the case study below. You will
analyze the impact and needs of this case study in the local context applying the steps in assessing the
impact and needs of affected situations and vulnerable stakeholders.

CASE STUDY:
2012 Typhoon Pablo

On 4 December 2012, Typhoon Bopha tore through communities on the southern island of Mindanao in
the Philippines, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. It was the worst disaster to hit the country in
the past year, affecting more than 6 million people. One month later, thousands of families are still
struggling to rebuild their lives.

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

One of the communities that was severely affected by the typhoon is a place called Monkayo, in the
region of Compostela Valley. Tucked away from the main road, the majority of people in this community
rely on farming of rice, bananas and coconuts for their livelihoods. Amongst them are Gibertz V. Luas
and her father, Pablo E Villafane.
“We were informed by local officials that a storm was coming, but knowing that my parents have lived
here for a long time and no typhoon has ever been here, we disregarded the warnings,” Gibertz says.
“Later on, flood water began to rise up and mud entered our house, gusts of wind came from all
directions.”
Pablo’s farm was devastated by the storm. The family salvaged what few possessions they could and
then sold them in order to rent a chainsaw to help repair their home.
“We are thankful for all the help Red Cross has given to us. For now, our food depends on the relief
goods we receive,” Gibertz says.
The assistance the Philippine Red Cross is providing helps, but the Villafane family are still in a state of
shock, as are their neighbours and it is evident that long-term support will be needed to help them to
piece their lives back together.
“I can’t understand how everything happened in one day – our house falling down and our farm washed
out.”

For me, the person to be blamed on this is the family of Pablo E. Villafane. The government has
informed the family to evacuate as soon as possible since they are expecting that the typhoon will
be strong. They choose to stay on their house just to protect their house. They disregarded the
warnings. Although they didn’t lose any family members, they have felt the adverse effect of the
typhoon. Different organizations such as Philippine Red Cross is providing helps, but the family
are still in the state of shock. As are their neighbours and it is evident that long-term support will be
needed to help them to piece their lives back
together.______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

3) Activity 4: What I Know Chart, part 2 (2 mins)

It’s time for you to answer the questions in the What I learned chart.

Questions: What I Learned

1. What is needs assessment?

2. What are the steps of needs assessment?

3.

4) Activity 5: Check for Understanding (5 mins)

Directions: Based on your understanding of today’s discussion, provide an answer in the given question
below.

o Based on your understanding in the discussion, elaborate each step in assessing the impact and needs
of affected situations and vulnerable stakeholders in 8-10 sentences only.

The process of identifying and figuring out how to close the gap between an organization's current
condition and intended state is known as a needs assessment. The process details which procedures a team
should enhance, prioritize, or fund in order to accomplish its objectives. An instructive strategy that specifically
tackles areas for improvement emerges from a needs assessment. Needs Assessment has different stages.
These are
Identifying and Measuring Risk, Measuring Vulnerability, Defining the Problem, Defining a Target Population
and Identifying Appropriate Solutions.

A. LESSON WRAP-UP
1) Activity 6: Thinking about Learning (5 mins)

A. Work Tracker

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

You are done with this session! Let’s track your progress. Shade this session number you just completed.

B. Think about your learning by filling up your “My Learning Tracker”. You write the learning targets, your
scores, learning experience for the session and deliberately plan for the next session.

Date Learning Target/Topic Scores Action Plan

What module# did you do? What
What’s the date
were the learning targets? What
today?
activities did you do?
What contributed to the quality of your performance today?
What were your scores
What will you do next session to maintain your performance or
in the activities?
improve it?

Module 14-15
September
BE ON TIME. DO NOT PROCASTINATE.
30,2022
Activity #1,2,3,4,5 and 6

FAQs

1. What is the importance of needs assessment?

- Needs assessment is important because it helps an organization determine the gaps that are preventing it
from reaching its desired goals. In A Guide to Performing a Needs Assessment and a Gap Analysis, Anthony
J. Jannetti says these gaps can exist in either knowledge, practices, or skills.

2. What is the purpose of needs assessment?

- The primary purpose of needs assessment is to identify which people are in need, disaggregated by different
categories of people (for example, all affected persons, pregnant women, children) and different types of
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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

needs; determine the severity of their needs; and pinpoint the type of assistance they require to ensure
prioritized, focused, response planning. It is triggered by a need to better assess and monitor a particular
situation and the conditions faced by populations of concern, whether in the context of a response to a sudden
crisis or as an ongoing planning effort during a protracted crisis.

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

KEY TO CORRECTIONS

Activity 3

Criteria: 5 3 2

Content There are complete There are few details of There are incomplete
details of what is being what is being asked. details of what is being
asked. asked.

Organization The thoughts and ideas The thoughts and ideas The thoughts and
are organized. are slightly organized. ideas are not
organized.

Total

Activity 4

(Answers may vary)

Activity 5

Criteria: 5 3 2

Content There are complete There are few details of There are incomplete
details of what is being what is being asked. details of what is being
asked. asked.

Organization The thoughts and ideas The thoughts and ideas The thoughts and
are organized. are slightly organized. ideas are not
organized.

Total

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 COM 085 - RISK, DISASTER, AND
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION
Module #14-15

Name: Albert Sam Alegria Class number: _________________

Section: ABCOMM-01 Date:

Schedule: WEDNESDAY (1:30-3:00)

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