There are four different levels to the Disaster Resilience Leadership certification. Level 1 is Strengthening Existing Leadership Capacity. Level 2 is Building Organizational Efficacy. Level 3 is Creating Future DRL Leaders. Level 4 is Global DRL Network. It is a 6 day workshop.
The program is funded through the University of Tulane, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and the Royal Norwegian Government.
The program is a branch of Tulane University’s School of Social Work.
“Based upon research that the DRLA leadership has conducted with reputational leaders in the field, including leaders from within other premier academic institutions, international organizations, prestigious NGOs, the United Nations, the donor community, think tanks and the Red Cross movement, it is widely agreed that a systematic and interdisciplinary approach to leadership is widely needed in the community and insufficiently addressed in most academic programs. As Tulane University itself has exhibited such resilience and strength of leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it represents and ideal setting to support such an approach to disaster resilience leadership education and allows students to experience the living laboratory of recovery and resilience that is the city of New Orleans.” -- Louisiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters.
The Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy emerged from the breakdown in leadership during the 2004 Katrina super storm disaster.
The program provides successful participants a certification. A Master’s degree in Disaster Resilience Leadership is available through a 36 credit hour course.
The goal of the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy is to:
“…achieve increased resilience in communities and individuals impacted by natural and manmade disasters. Such leadership is guided by the ethics of the Triple Bottom Line: Equity, Environment, and Economy.”
Community leaders and professionals across various countries and communities to prepare them to lead their communities during disaster management.