According to the UN’s World Meteorological Organization, greenhouse gases are at an all time high for the ninth year in a row. From effects on food security, human health, and local economies; climate change is causing wide spread implications for many sectors of community development. One of the most severe needs is to strengthen grassroots adaptation capacity. As community development practitioners, it essential that we learn the techniques and strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on communities. A community’s adaptive capacity is their means of coping with these changes and uncertainties. The poorest communities tend to be the most vulnerable to these changes. Communities need to have the knowledge about and understand carbon offsetting and global mitigation schemes such as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) in order to decide whether these are useful mechanisms for their community. To learn about climate change and community development, check out Village Earth’s newest course Local Communities and Climate Change Mitigation Strategies. Register online by November 10 by clicking the link.
GSLL 1501 – Approaches to Community Development
This course provides a framework for community development based on a participatory, bottom-up, multi-sector model. Various approaches have been used in community development with varying degrees of success. One approach that has consistently demonstrated effectiveness is the Village Earth model based on participatory practices.
Through personal and structural empowerment, the objectives of economic well-being, environmental sustainability, and socio-cultural vitalization can be met. By looking at an overview of the entire development process and using case studies, this course will prepare participants to work in the field of community development and illuminate how all of the development efforts fit together to support the overall goal of sustainability.
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
Compare different development approaches and evaluate their effectiveness.
Understand the basic principles that underlie sustainable development.
Incorporate participatory practices into community development activities
Design a development project based on the Village Earth model
Who should take this course? This course is suited for people who are interested in community development and work or plan to work in this field. This includes people working or volunteering at NGOs, NPOs, governmental organizations, without border organizations, or missionary organizations. In addition, people involved in funding community development projects benefit from this course.
