Purpose: The qualification holder independently prepares and delivers training for adults in civil preparedness, civil protection and civil defence, in accordance with the programmes specified in the regulation of the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the GCCS methodological standard. The holder also prepares participants for validation within the ICVC pathway.

Entry requirements: The ICVC Civil Preparedness — Foundation Level qualification (or an equivalent qualification) and the ICVC-T-Q01 qualification, or documented basic experience of working with a group (statement and description).

Validation methods: Test, evidence analysis (methodological portfolio) and observation of a sample training session. Observation is mandatory because the ability to teach others is being certified.

Set 1. Instructor subject-matter knowledge

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 1. explains the civil protection and civil defence system in Poland, the roles of authorities and entities, and the legal basis for training, including the Civil Protection and Civil Defence Act and the regulation on training programmes; 2. discusses in depth all thematic areas of the public training programme in Annex 9: warning and alerting, individual preparedness, evacuation, first aid, assistance activities, personal protective equipment and shelters, as well as optional areas; 3. identifies requirements applicable to training providers and teaching staff under § 11 of the regulation and explains the rules for documenting training. Verification criteria — test, enhanced pass threshold of 80%: resolves problem-based questions covering all areas of Annex 9 at the level of being able to explain a mechanism and correct a participant’s mistake; identifies the relevant legal basis and organisational requirements for described training activities; identifies substantive errors in sample training materials.

Set 2. Training and materials design

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 4. designs training based on learning outcomes by formulating operational objectives and selecting content, methods — including interactive lecture, problem-based method, case study, instruction and practical exercise — and teaching aids; 5. develops a lesson plan and participant materials adapted to the group, including adults, older people and people with specific needs, and to the delivery format: classroom, online or blended; 6. plans post-training verification that is consistent with the ICVC validation standard. Verification criteria — evidence analysis of a portfolio prepared using the GCCS template: a complete training plan of at least eight teaching units includes operational objectives, time allocation, methods for each unit, materials and the verification method and is assessed against an assessor checklist; the participant materials meet substantive accuracy and accessibility requirements; the portfolio contains a scenario for one practical exercise with an observation checklist.

Set 3. Delivering training and working with adult groups

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 7. delivers training in accordance with the lesson plan, activates participants and maintains time discipline; 8. applies adult-learning principles, including drawing on experience, practical relevance and feedback, and responds to difficult group situations; 9. provides instruction in a practical activity using the sequence: demonstration, demonstration with explanation, participant practice and correction. Verification criteria — observation by a GCCS assessor of a 20–30 minute sample of live training or an uninterrupted recording involving a real group; all critical items are mandatory: achievement of the sample’s operational objective; substantive accuracy; use of at least one activating method; correct delivery of an instruction or exercise; and effective communication with the group, including language, contact and responses to questions and participant errors.

Purpose: The qualification holder organises and coordinates the implementation of civil protection and civil defence tasks in a local government office, including planning, continuity of office operations and cooperation during states of emergency and wartime. The scope is aligned with the programmes in Annex 5 to the regulation of the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration.

Entry requirements: Employment or experience in public administration or in a civil protection entity, confirmed by a statement or certificate. The ICVC Civil Preparedness — Foundation Level qualification is recommended.

Validation methods: Test and evidence analysis consisting of a planning-document package prepared using the GCCS template and a written case study. Observation of a command-post simulation is an optional Professional-level variant. Evidence is produced during the support process and validation takes place immediately after its completion.

Set 1. System, law and office responsibilities

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 1. explains the legal framework for civil protection and civil defence, including the Civil Protection and Civil Defence Act, the Crisis Management Act and the Homeland Defence Act insofar as they concern local government responsibilities, and explains the system structure at municipal, county and regional levels; 2. assigns civil protection and civil defence tasks to office departments and subordinate units and identifies the role of the holder’s own office in the system; 3. explains how the office functions during states of emergency and wartime, including raising readiness, decision circulation and information protection. Verification criteria — test: determines which authority or entity is responsible for a task in described situations; sequences office actions following the introduction of emergency measures; identifies competence-related errors in described decision-making scenarios.

Set 2. Planning, continuity and resources

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 4. develops and updates civil protection and civil defence planning documentation appropriate to the office, including the office business continuity plan; 5. plans resources, including storage facilities, temporary shelter locations, registers, communications and personnel training needs, taking account of programmes specified in the Ministry regulation; 6. plans population evacuation and temporary accommodation in cooperation with civil protection entities and non-governmental organisations. Verification criteria — evidence analysis of a package prepared using the GCCS template and assessed against an assessor checklist: a draft office continuity plan covering critical processes, deputies, minimum resources and emergency procedures; a draft planning annex, such as an evacuation plan for an at-risk area or the organisation of a reception point, for a real or model municipality; and an office personnel training schedule compliant with the regulation.

Set 3. Response, coordination and communication

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 7. coordinates threat detection, notification, warning and alerting within the administered area; 8. cooperates with emergency services, neighbouring local government units, the regional governor, non-governmental organisations and businesses in responding to threats; 9. organises the office’s crisis communication with the public, applying the single-source-of-truth principle and message authorisation. Verification criteria: test-based decision scenarios involving flood, contamination or a large influx of evacuees, requiring selection and sequencing of actions and partners; evidence analysis of a written case-study solution containing a required decision, justification and draft public message, assessed against an assessor key; optional Professional-level observation of participation in a command-post simulation using a role checklist.

Purpose: The qualification holder designs, implements and maintains a business continuity management system for an organisation — a business, institution or non-governmental organisation — taking account of states of emergency, wartime, critical infrastructure protection and legal requirements, including business obligations under the Civil Protection and Civil Defence Act, the National Cybersecurity System Act and NIS2, as well as ISO 22301 good practice.

Entry requirements: At least two years of professional experience and knowledge of the organisation for which the plan will be developed, either the holder’s own organisation or a model organisation provided by GCCS. Recommended entry qualifications: ICVC-D-Q01 or ICVC-C-Q02.

Validation methods: Test and evidence analysis of a business continuity plan for a real or model organisation, which is the principal assessment vehicle. Evidence is produced during the support process and validation takes place immediately after its completion.

Set 1. Organisation and risk analysis

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 1. identifies the organisation’s critical processes and conducts a business impact analysis using MTPD, RTO and RPO parameters in practical terms; 2. conducts risk analysis for ordinary scenarios — such as failure, fire and cyberattack — and extraordinary scenarios, including armed conflict, prolonged blackout, supply-chain disruption and mobilisation of part of the workforce; 3. identifies the organisation’s legal obligations, including business obligations in civil protection and civil defence, critical infrastructure protection, obligations of essential and important entities under the National Cybersecurity System Act and NIS2, and duties towards employees. Verification criteria: test — selects continuity parameters for described processes, classifies risk scenarios and determines which obligations apply to a described organisation; evidence analysis — the analytical section of the plan, including the BIA and risk register, is complete against the assessor checklist.

Set 2. Continuity strategies and business continuity plan

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 4. designs continuity strategies involving replacement resources, alternate locations, distributed working, supplier redundancy, critical stocks and arrangements for the loss of utilities and communications; 5. develops a business continuity plan covering the organisation’s crisis-management structure, activation thresholds, response procedures, recovery plans and internal and external communication; 6. integrates the plan with the requirements of states of emergency and wartime, including defence-related obligations, protection and possible relocation of resources, personnel protection and cooperation with civil protection authorities. Verification criteria — evidence analysis of a BCM plan prepared using the GCCS template and assessed against a checklist containing mandatory critical items: completeness of the plan structure, including activation, roles and deputies, procedures for at least four scenarios including one extraordinary scenario, and contact appendices; consistency of the strategy with the BIA, with realistically achievable recovery time parameters; and inclusion of the legal requirements identified in Set 1.

Set 3. Implementation, testing and improvement

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 7. plans implementation of the BCM system, including assignment of responsibilities, personnel training and awareness building; 8. designs a testing and exercise programme, including document review, coordination exercise and technical test, together with rules for capturing lessons learned; 9. keeps the system current through reviews and updates following organisational changes and incidents. Verification criteria: test — selects the appropriate test type for the organisation’s maturity and sequences the improvement cycle; evidence analysis — the implementation section of the plan includes a schedule of training and exercises and one coordination-exercise scenario with evaluation measures.

Purpose: The qualification holder designs and manages an organisation’s or institution’s communication during a crisis: builds a communication plan, prepares and delivers messages, handles media relations and counters disinformation at the level of responsibility of a spokesperson or command-team member.

Entry requirements: The ICVC Crisis Communication — Foundation Level qualification or documented experience in communication or public relations, confirmed by a statement and description.

Validation methods: Test and evidence analysis of a communication package, including a recorded statement as evidence. Observation of a simulation is an optional Professional-level variant. Evidence is produced during the support process and validation takes place immediately after its completion.

Set 1. Crisis communication strategy and plan

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 1. develops an organisational crisis communication plan covering stakeholder mapping, scenarios, a channel matrix, roles — including spokesperson, team and single source of truth — and authorisation procedures; 2. designs risk communication in advance of a crisis through audience education, trust building and pre-prepared dark-site packages; 3. plans communication for groups with specific information needs, including people with disabilities, foreign-language audiences and older people. Verification criteria: test — evaluates and corrects elements of sample plans and selects channels and frequency for scenarios; evidence analysis — a crisis communication plan for a real or model organisation prepared using the GCCS template and assessed against a checklist.

Set 2. Message development and public statements

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 4. drafts a package of messages for an evolving event, including an initial holding statement, updates, a closing statement, questions and answers, and social-media messages; 5. formulates a key message using a message map and maintains consistency across all channels; 6. delivers a statement and answers questions under pressure — including camera presence, difficult questions and incomplete information — while applying empathy, facts, actions and avoidance of speculation. Verification criteria: test — identifies errors in sample appearances and selects appropriate answers to difficult questions; evidence analysis — a message package and Q&A for an assigned scenario, plus a recording containing a statement of up to three minutes and answers to three assigned questions, assessed against an assessor checklist; optional Professional-level observation of a live simulated press conference involving role players.

Set 3. Media relations, monitoring and countering disinformation

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 7. organises media relations during a crisis, including briefings, accreditation rules at the incident site, embargoes and corrections; 8. monitors media and social-media coverage and classifies detected narratives, including disinformation narratives; 9. selects an appropriate response tactic — ignoring, correcting or prebunking — and applies the rule of not repeating a false claim. Verification criteria — test: resolves media-handling scenarios; classifies sample narratives and selects and justifies a response tactic; drafts a correct correction in a multiple-option task.

Purpose: The qualification holder organises and operates an emergency reception point or temporary accommodation site for evacuees, covering activation, registration, basic living needs, safety, cooperation with emergency services, local government and non-governmental organisations, and management of staff and volunteers.

Entry requirements: The ICVC Civil Preparedness — Foundation Level qualification or documented experience in assistance activities. Recommended additional qualifications are ICVC First Aid in Emergency Situations and ICVC Psychological First Aid in Crisis Situations.

Validation methods: Test and evidence analysis of a reception-point organisation plan prepared to the GCCS standard. Observation of an exercise is an optional Professional-level variant. Evidence is produced during the support process and validation takes place immediately after its completion.

Set 1. Organisation and activation of the reception point

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 1. plans the functional layout of the point, including registration, accommodation, catering, sanitation, medical, family-and-child and animal zones, as well as capacity and circulation routes; 2. organises time-critical activation, including minimum staffing, initial equipment, utilities, communications, signage and accessibility for people with specific needs; 3. applies standards for accommodation conditions, including floor space, sanitation, catering and heating, and the rules for cooperation with the facility operator. Verification criteria: test — selects organisational solutions for the facility parameters and number of evacuees and sequences activation steps; evidence analysis — an organisation plan for a specified real or model facility containing a zone diagram, staffing table and equipment list, assessed against an assessor checklist.

Set 2. Registration, accommodation and support for evacuees

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 4. organises registration of evacuees in accordance with personal-data protection rules and manages information flows concerning people, including family reunification and missing persons; 5. provides for specific needs, including unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities, older people, people requiring medical or psychological support, foreign-language audiences and companion animals; 6. prevents conflict and abuse by establishing community rules, safety measures — including protection against violence and human trafficking — and reporting procedures. Verification criteria: test — resolves registration scenarios involving missing documents, an unaccompanied child, an aggressive person or suspected human trafficking and selects the appropriate procedure; evidence analysis — the registration and support section of the plan includes procedures for at least four specific situations and is assessed against an answer key.

Set 3. Staff, resources and inter-agency cooperation

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 7. manages staff and volunteers through roles, rosters, briefings, task boundaries, burnout prevention and team psychological hygiene; 8. manages resources, including receipt and distribution of donations, stores, demand requests and expenditure documentation; 9. cooperates with the municipality, emergency services, non-governmental organisations and media — including rules governing media presence at the point — and reports to the responsible authority; 10. plans closure of the point and transfer of people to longer-term solutions. Verification criteria: test-based management scenarios involving team conflict, donation chaos, a media visit or a relocation order; evidence analysis of a plan section containing a cooperation matrix and a daily report template; optional Professional-level observation of the coordinator role during a practical reception-point activation exercise using an assessor checklist.

Purpose: The qualification holder mobilises and organises preparedness within their own community — such as a village administrative unit, neighbourhood, housing community, parish, rural women’s association or Volunteer Fire Brigade community — for emergency situations. The holder builds a local preparedness network, delivers educational activities, organises exercises, and organises and coordinates crisis volunteering in cooperation with local government and emergency services. This is an entry-level GCCS qualification whose validation is based on a portfolio documenting real action.

Entry requirements: The ICVC Civil Preparedness — Foundation Level qualification. The ICVC Psychological First Aid in Crisis Situations qualification is recommended.

Validation methods: Test and evidence analysis of a portfolio documenting a local initiative. The portfolio is developed during the support process and validation takes place immediately after its completion.

Set 1. Community assessment and network building

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 1. assesses the resources and vulnerabilities of their community, including people requiring support, human and material resources, local threats and existing structures such as the Volunteer Fire Brigade, non-governmental organisations, parish and school; 2. builds a local preparedness network by recruiting participants, assigning roles and contact rules — including emergency neighbour-to-neighbour communication — and ensuring inclusion of people with specific needs; 3. establishes cooperation with the municipality and emergency services, knows the appropriate contact points and cooperation rules, and does not duplicate the tasks of emergency services. Verification criteria: test — selects assessment and engagement methods for a described community and determines the boundary between community action and service responsibilities; evidence analysis — the portfolio contains an assessment of the holder’s own community using the GCCS template, including a resource-and-vulnerability map, and a description of the network, including membership, roles and communication rules, assessed against a checklist.

Set 2. Educational activities and local exercises

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 4. organises local civil-preparedness education through meetings, demonstrations and information campaigns using materials consistent with the Ministry training programmes; 5. plans and conducts a simple community exercise — such as a trial evacuation, telephone-tree test or assembly-point check — and conducts a lessons-learned review; 6. counters disinformation within the local community and supports the circulation of reliable information during an emergency. Verification criteria: test — sequences the stages of organising an exercise and selects a response to local rumours or disinformation; evidence analysis — a critical portfolio item documenting an implemented initiative comprising at least one educational activity and one exercise, with programme, participant list or count, photographic documentation or institutional confirmation, conclusions and an improvement plan, assessed against an assessor key.

Set 3. Network operation during an emergency

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 7. activates the network during an emergency by issuing notifications, checking people who require support and operating a community information point; 8. organises neighbour-to-neighbour assistance and involves the community in activities coordinated by the municipality and emergency services, following the principle of operating under established coordination; 9. sustains the network after the event through review, replenishment of resources and continued engagement. Verification criteria — test: sequences network actions for scenarios such as severe wind, blackout, a missing person or an influx of evacuees; determines which actions require municipal or emergency-service consent or coordination; selects measures that maintain community engagement.

Set 4. Organising and coordinating crisis volunteers

Learning outcomes — the qualification holder: 10. organises the involvement of volunteers in community activities through recruitment, basic screening and allocation of tasks suited to their abilities and competence boundaries, consistently with ICVC-D-K04 principles; 11. provides ongoing coordination through roles and deputies, rosters, briefings, information flow, safety rules and volunteer equipment; 12. cooperates with the municipality, emergency services and non-governmental organisations within the established coordination structure, including transferring volunteers to service coordination where required by the nature of the activity; 13. supports sustained engagement through burnout prevention, team psychological hygiene, recognition and orderly closure of activities. Verification criteria: test — resolves task-allocation scenarios involving a volunteer seeking work beyond their competence, team conflict or unauthorised activity within an emergency-operation area, and sequences information flow between the coordinator, municipality and non-governmental organisations; evidence analysis — an extended portfolio containing a volunteer-organisation plan for an assigned community-response scenario, including role structure, roster, safety rules and interfaces with the municipality and non-governmental organisations, assessed against a checklist.

Scope boundary: GCCS-D-05 manages staff and volunteers within a facility, specifically an emergency reception point. GCCS-D-06 coordinates community volunteers in distributed activities. The scopes interface but do not overlap.