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This modular training package on Water & Sanitation Services that Lasts was intended to give senior water sector professionals an understanding of the key elements in delivering sustainable rural water services at scale. It provides examples and models from various countries and was drawing on latest thinking from IRC and partners.

The content drew on the work of IRC's 45+ years of experience in water and sanitation as well as insights and experiences from the Triple-S and WASHCost initiatives.

Who is it for?

  • Sector professionals and practitioners from international agencies, donors and NGOs
  • Staff of Ministries and other government agencies dealing with rural water supply and sanitation
  • Research partners

What's included?
The training package consists of three modules, which can be customized depending on the audience and the time available. These provide increasing levels of detail about the service delivery approach – moving from general understanding of the concepts to practical application in the participant's context.

Module 1 Introduction: from systems to services

  • Examines current ways of working and the problems associated with the 'business-as-usual' approach
  • Introduces the service delivery approach and life-cycle cost approach – their underlying principles and key components.

Module 2: Changing the way we do business

  • Introduces the 'building blocks' and process elements for sustainable services at scale
  • Offers examples of how different types of organisations have tried to improve the sustainability of their interventions
  • Helps participants identify opportunities to create change in their own organisations

Module 3: Practical application

  • Introduces a range of tools that can be used to collect and analyse cost information and measure service levels.
  • Includes practical exercises on how to apply service level indicators for sustainable services in the participant's context.
  • Optional sessions relating to sustainability, life-cycle costing and improved WASH governance can be added to suit participants' training needs.

What will you learn?

At the end of Module 1, you will be able to:

  • Recognise challenges and barriers to sustainability in the WASH sector
  • Understand the concepts of 'service delivery approach' and 'life-cycle costs' – key components, benefits and challenges for implementation
  • Have working knowledge of generic service level indicators for water and for sanitation

At the end of Module 2 you will:

  • Understand the steps for moving towards a service delivery approach
  • Be able to identify opportunities to improve sustainability within your organisation's remit

At the end of Module 3 you will:

  • Have working knowledge of tools and models for planning, implementing and monitoring sustainable WASH services, including how to:
  • use and define sustainability indicators,
  • collect life-cycle costs data, and
  • apply a life-cycle costs analysis.

For more information about training – write to us at training@ircwash.org

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