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Outbreak READY! Overview
What is the Outbreak READY! simulation?
Outbreak READY! is a digital simulation strengthening the readiness of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to respond to large-scale infectious disease outbreaks in humanitarian contexts. Through a unique, digital interpretation of an outbreak simulation, READY brings the complex nature of a humanitarian outbreak response to life utilizing a computer-based serious game that allows participants to test and refine their readiness skills and knowledge.
In Outbreak READY!, you will take the role of an NGO team lead managing a multi-sectoral humanitarian program portfolio for a medium-sized, international NGO named READY. The response takes place in a fictitious, low-income country that recently experienced civil conflict following a disputed national election. The simulation is divided into two modules: the first focuses on readiness prioritizations and actions as an outbreak is identified in a neighboring country; the second focuses on the NGO’s response to the outbreak as it begins to spread. Over the course of the simulation, the learner must make decisions that determine how the NGO adapts and expands programs to respond to the outbreak.
Who is the Outbreak READY! simulation for?
The simulation is designed for national and international NGOs responding to humanitarian emergencies, particularly targeting NGO leaders and managers from both operational and programmatic backgrounds across all sectors.
What is the purpose of the Outbreak READY! simulation?
The purpose of Outbreak READY! is to improve the learner’s ability to make data-driven and community-centered decisions in an outbreak response, and to help the learner understand the significant relationship between programmatic and operational readiness actions with response outcomes. By the end of the simulation, the learner will be able to:
- Describe the key areas of operational readiness when preparing for an infectious disease outbreak in humanitarian settings and weigh how investments and trade-offs in operational readiness impact outbreak response outcomes.
- Identify key stakeholders and coordination structures that are critical to outbreak response in humanitarian settings and weigh their impact on multi-sectoral outbreak response activities.
- Explain the roles of various technical and cross-cutting sectors within infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response, and design activities that integrate multiple sectors in an outbreak response.
- Use epidemiological, assessment, and community feedback data to inform and develop organizational adaptive management strategies and response plans for inclusive and ethical outbreak responses in humanitarian emergencies.
Outbreak READY!
Fact Sheet
View/download fact sheet (841KB .pdf).
Outbreak READY!
Awards
In June 2022, Outbreak READY! won a Bronze International Serious Play Award which honors outstanding digital games used for training and education. ___________________________________________________
In March 2023, Save the Children was named to FastCompany’s Most Innovative Nonprofits of 2023 for Outbreak READY! as one of the organization’s core innovations.