FAQs

How do I use the CARE Emergency Toolkit?

The CET is a reference site. It is not designed to be read from beginning to end. You should find the section that contains the information that you are looking for right now to help you in your job. Using the drop-down menus, you should be able to look at the different sections and find the most relevant ones. Alternatively, you can use the search function.

Where should I start?

As a reference, the best place to start is wherever the information that you are looking for is. If you are not faced with a specific problem right now and instead want to get some background, then we recommend finding the section most relevant to your job (e.g. procurement if you work in procurement, media if you work in communications) and reading through that. Almost every section includes information on job roles and responsibilities for staff like you. This will give you a good, quick overview of what you need to do in an emergency.

What do others find most useful in the CARE Emergency Toolkit?

The guidance in the toolkit is appreciated by many people. We think that the annexes to each chapter are the most useful, though. Here you will find templates and samples for forms and for different kinds of documents. These remove the need for you to create your own. We hope that by sharing in this way, we harmonize our templates and ways of working too.

The site only seems to be available in English. My office has a different working language. What can I do?

We are exploring possibilities for translating the new site. With so much content and with collaborative editing, we are not sure when it will be possible. For the time being, we suggest that you install the Google translator widget on your browser and navigate the site in the language of your choice.

I have the feeling that something I used to reference on the toolkit is no longer there. What happened?

In order to make the site more usable, we have removed some content. We are confident that we still have the main areas that we need covered. If you’re looking for something specific, please feel free to email your Regional Humanitarian Coordinator or CETeditors@careinternational.org, and we will try to assist you.

How can I contribute to the content?

Anyone can create an account to suggest changes by going here. You must create a STRONG password, using a random password generator such as this one. Once you’ve done that, you can use the “Amend Content” buttons to suggest changes to the guidance. If you want more information on how to do that, see this video. Standard users cannot upload annexes. If you have a template you would like to share, please send an email to the section contact (where given) or to CETeditors@careinternational.org .

When I log in to submit a change, I am taken to my profile page, not to the editing page for the section I want to amend. What should I do?

This sometimes happens. Once you’re logged in, go back to the appropriate screen on the main website, and click “Amend Content” again. You should be taken straight there.

When I try to logout of the “wiki” editing screen, I get directed to my profile page. What should I do?

This happens when you click where the dropdown menu opens. You just have to hover over it. Then you click once on “Logout” and you will be logged out.

Can I download the whole site?

The old site used to permit this, but the new site does not. We have prioritized navigation and the ability to update over that for the time being. Individual pages can be downloaded as a PDF.

We will investigate whether we can add a download function in the future. There is no certainty that we will do this, though.

There is too much information for me – I want something more concise.

You can go here to download the CARE Emergency Pocketbook. This has highly abridged content, and focuses on the most critical things to do and to avoid.

Where do I find X?

The site has a robust search feature. Due to the way the site is structured, it will normally direct you to the chapter in which your search term can be found, rather than a section or sub-section. You will have to scroll down. You can also use Ctrl + F to search for particular words or phrases on a given page.

Where is the information and guidance from?

The information and guidance is from CARE experts. The site was originally created in 2007. It was reviewed, updated, and made available to the public in 2017. Different sections are reviewed by different technical experts. Normally it is a group of experts who have reviewed the content.

Who is the information and guidance for?

Our main target is CARE staff preparing for and responding to humanitarian crises. It refers to CARE’s systems and processes. There are many different job profiles that work for CARE – and each will find something relevant to their job. It will probably be different things that are useful though.

We think that the information can be useful for people who are not CARE staff. Whether you work with a CARE partner, a peer NGO or you are a community member, we hope that you find it useful. You will need to contextualize the information and advice for your own situation.

I work for an organization that is one of CARE’s partners – where should I start?

We’re really happy that you’re choosing to use the site. CARE values its partners enormously. The site is primarily for CARE staff, and so focuses on internal processes, guidance etc. Understanding this is extremely helpful for you as a partner, though in most cases you will have your own processes. For both sides of a partnership, understanding our different ways of working is very helpful. If you are a CARE partner and wish to adapt our processes, then we encourage you to let your contacts in CARE know you are doing that, and to be sure that this will work for you. Different organizations have different needs and we do not expect partners to work in exactly the same way as CARE, or use exactly the same procedures.

Can I use this information if I do not work for CARE?

Yes. We have now made the site open-access. There are a small number of CARE internal documents that we link to. Those are stored in another location, and you must be a CARE staff member to access them. All other guidance, templates etc. are free for you to use, should you wish. They are offered for your information only, and CARE cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage or injury you incur.

How do I download an Annex?

Annexes are one of the most useful parts of the CARE Emergency Toolkit. They often have tools, forms and formats that you can take and use straight away. To download an Annex, all you have to do is click and the download should start. You may be asked to select whether to open or save it – you should select “Save” and then “OK” .

I still want more information. Where do I go?

The toolkit site provides you a full overview of a topic. It is not superficial, but it doesn’t try to give you enormous depth on very specific areas. Annexes may provide you more details. In most sections there are extensive links to other websites where you can find information on particular subjects.

Can I reproduce content from the CARE Emergency Toolkit?

Yes, you can, for non-commercial purposes. We ask you to credit CARE International and link to www.careemergencytoolkit.org. If you would like to use content for commercial purposes, please contact us.

How do I edit annexes?

You have to be an admin to do this. Contact us if you want to be an admin. Once you log in with admin privileges, you need to find the annex section that you need directly. You do that through the “All Wiki” menu item on the left hand side. That takes you to a navigation for the whole site. You then find the correct Annexes section (e.g. 1.2.8) and click on it. That takes you to the wiki editing page for the annexes in that section. You can then add (drag and drop), move and delete annexes. Careful to double check the annex numbering, as that doesn’t update automatically – if you move or delete something, then you’ll need to re-number things.

I think some of the content is based on work done by my organization – what can I do?

We have done our very best to make sure that all the content is CARE generated, appropriately referenced and with credit given where needed. With a site of this size, with many different authors, it is possible that something may have been missed. If there is an issue of this type that you would like us to address, please contact us on CETeditors@careinternational.org and we will be pleased to help you.

I followed the advice on this site and something bad happened. What should I do?

The guidance and recommendations is what we believe to be good practice. It may not be the best choice in every situation. You need to use your judgement, particularly if there is a chance of doing harm to others.

CARE is not liable for any negative consequences of following the recommendations on this site.